Ex-Ukraine minister warns Russia could test NATO with just five drones
Dmytro Kuleba says a handful of drone strikes on NATO infrastructure could test the alliance, as a NATO fund invests in counter-drone defences.
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's former foreign minister, warned that Russia would not need a large-scale offensive to test NATO's solidarity, saying a handful of drone strikes on critical infrastructure in member states could be enough, according to Adevărul. He said Moscow was preparing its population for a wider confrontation with Europe.
"It needs five drones," Kuleba said, arguing the Kremlin needs minimal resources to provoke the West. He said such limited strikes on strategic infrastructure in NATO states could expose security gaps and test the alliance's political unity, speaking in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network cited by Kyiv Post and Politico.
Kuleba said he doubted negotiations could end the war in Ukraine, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was not looking for a solution or a pause in the fighting. He said Putin viewed international relations through a lens of victory and defeat rather than compromise.
Separately, NATO's own investment arm is redirecting money toward countering the drone threat. Ari Jonsson, head of the NATO Innovation Fund, told Reuters that counter-drone technology and space-based surveillance were among the alliance's most urgent capability gaps. The fund, worth 1 billion euros and backed by 24 NATO members, is expanding its work in Poland and targeting direct investment to speed up the development of dual-use technology on the alliance's eastern flank.
Jonsson said drone incursions in the region had reached a scale not seen elsewhere, which he said had changed the alliance's view of the threats it faces. The fund is opening a presence in Warsaw to help identify and adopt promising innovations, he said, citing Poland's high defence spending and engineering base as reasons for the investment.
Poland's finance minister, Andrzej Domanski, said the NATO Innovation Fund was the first major fund not based in Poland to establish a significant presence there, according to a statement cited by G4Media and Știripesurse.
What we know
- 1 outlet · Adevărul Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's former foreign minister, said a handful of drone strikes on NATO infrastructure could be enough to test the alliance, according to Adevărul.
- 1 outlet · Adevărul "It needs five drones," Kuleba said, arguing Russia needs minimal resources to provoke the West.
- 1 outlet · Adevărul NATO Innovation Fund head Ari Jonsson told Reuters that counter-drone technology and space-based surveillance are among the alliance's most urgent capability gaps.
- 1 outlet · Adevărul The 1-billion-euro fund, backed by 24 NATO members, is expanding investment in Poland and opening a presence in Warsaw.
- 1 outlet · Adevărul Kuleba warned Ukraine faces its toughest winter since the invasion began, as Russia steps up strikes on energy and water infrastructure.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The fund's shift in priorities reflects a wider shift in NATO's own threat assessment. Jonsson said drone incursions in the region had reached a scale not seen elsewhere, which he said had changed the alliance's view of the threats it faces, and that lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine had shaped where the fund now invests. Poland's high defence spending and engineering base made it an attractive destination for that investment, he said.
Kuleba's warning adds a political dimension to that shift: he said limited drone strikes, rather than a full-scale attack, would be enough to test whether NATO responds as a unified alliance. He also warned that Ukraine faces its toughest winter since Russia's full-scale invasion began, as Moscow steps up strikes on energy and water infrastructure, saying the goal was not simply to cut power in Ukraine's cities but to paralyse essential services such as electricity, water and sewage systems.
Sources
Reported by 1 reports from 1 independent outlets in 1 countries.
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Questions and answers
- What warning did Dmytro Kuleba give about Russia and NATO?
- Ukraine's former foreign minister said Russia would not need a full-scale offensive, just a handful of drone strikes on NATO infrastructure, to test the alliance's unity.
- What is the NATO Innovation Fund focusing on?
- Its head, Ari Jonsson, told Reuters the fund is prioritising counter-drone technology and space-based surveillance, expanding investment in Poland.
- Why is Poland central to NATO's counter-drone investment?
- Jonsson cited Poland's high defence spending and engineering base, and the fund is opening a presence in Warsaw.
This article was written with AI assistance from 1 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.