Russia’s ‘hybrid war’ strategy: Drone incursions ‘disrupt, disorient, destabilise Western countries’

Russia is increasingly weaponizing drones as part of its hybrid warfare strategy, leveraging their low cost and psychological impact to disrupt, destabilize, and drain the resources of Western nations, explains Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Essex. She emphasises that while Ukraine has adapted quickly with high drone interception rates, NATO countries lag far behind, unprepared for this shifting landscape. Drones are not only a tool of surveillance and nuisance but are becoming a primary instrument of war, responsible for the majority of casualties in Ukraine. As Russia ramps up production and aims to train over a million drone operators by 2030, drone warfare signals a new era of conflict.