Russia has built a network of secret drone bases capable of launching attacks deep into NATO territory, an investigation has found. Ten sites equipped to fire some of Moscow's most advanced long-range attack drones have been identified close to Russia's borders with Ukraine and Belarus.
Satellite imagery reveals expansion
Satellite imagery and leaked documents seen by The Telegraph reveal at least 59 newly constructed launch rails, with around 20 appearing long enough to accommodate Russia's latest generation of strike drones. Some of the sites have been constructed at existing military bases and converted civilian airports, while others have been built in more isolated areas of the Russian countryside.
The expanding network could allow Vladimir Putin's forces to launch much larger waves of drones against Ukraine while also putting NATO capitals such as Warsaw and Tallinn within range.
Advanced drone technology
Russia has been developing increasingly sophisticated versions of the Iranian-designed Shahed attack drone, including new jet-powered models believed to have ranges approaching 620 miles — around 1,000km. The latest variations of Russia's Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones can carry warheads weighing around 90kg while travelling significantly faster than earlier models, making them harder for air defence systems to intercept.
Mike Monnik, the chief executive and founder of DroneSec, who analysed the satellite imagery, told The Telegraph that Russia has "significantly expanded" its drone network in an effort to "attack Ukraine and to hold Nato states at risk of such attacks".
Impact on NATO and Ukraine
He said: "This launch site expansion shows how Russia has expanded its ability to launch greater numbers of drones while at the same time using technology to make the types of drones used more difficult to intercept. These two elements combine to enable a growing number of total unmanned aircraft systems Russia can use to attack Ukraine and increase the difficulty facing Ukrainian forces in intercepting newer Russian drone designs."
Ukraine's military intelligence has separately warned that Moscow is also experimenting with fitting some Geran drones with air-to-air missiles, potentially allowing them to threaten aircraft sent to shoot them down.
The scale of Russia's expansion is highlighted by one of the newly identified facilities, which reportedly has enough storage capacity for more than 1,000 drones. Further launch rails are also understood to be under construction at several of the sites. The bases are believed to be supplied by factories across Russia, including the huge Alabuga manufacturing complex, which is estimated to produce around 6,000 drones a year.
The development comes as NATO countries race to improve their own ability to defend against mass drone attacks and develop their ability to produce drones at scale and pace. A NATO official told The Telegraph: "Drones have fundamentally altered the character of modern warfare and have become a decisive factor on the battlefield. We are rapidly expanding our ability to produce, operate and neutralise drones at scale."
