Russia Builds Secret Drone Bases Targeting NATO Territory

The Federal Government of Russia has established a network of at least 10 clandestine drone bases along its borders with Belarus and Ukraine. An investigation by The Telegraph, utilizing satellite imagery and leaked documents, identified at least 59 launch rails at these sites. Twenty of these rails are specifically designed for jet-powered Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones, which possess a range of approximately 1,000 kilometers.

These capabilities place NATO cities, including Warsaw, within striking distance. While seven of the bases have already been used to attack Kyiv, intelligence officials warn that Russia may use the network for hybrid operations or provocations to test alliance cohesion. Russia has dismissed these reports as nonsense.

In response, NATO is expanding its air-defense capabilities through the NATO Drone Edge initiative. The alliance is investing approximately $40 billion to enhance operator training and counter-drone technology by 2027. The drones are produced at a large-scale campus in the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan, Russia.