Kremlin is allegedly stockpiling hundreds of thousands of fibre-optic drones for a future assault on NATO and the Baltic States.
Reports from Ukrainian and Russian intelligence according to Metro have shown that Vladimir Putin diverted huge numbers of next-generation FPV drones away from the Ukrainian front and into rear depots since late 2025.
As it is, Russia may already have amassed up to 130,000 fibre-optic drones, a stockpile that could rise to 200,000 by the end of summer.
FPV drones are especially dangerous because they use hair-thin fibre-optic cables rather than radio signals, making them far harder to jam electronically by NATO defences.
Russian military insiders believe the weapons could overwhelm Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the opening stages of an assault designed to shock Europe into submission before NATO can fully react.
The Kremlin sees the Baltic states as uniquely vulnerable because, although they possess advanced electronic warfare capabilities, they lack Ukraine’s combat experience with mass drone warfare.
One estimate in the reports suggested that in a Baltic war scenario, there could theoretically be as many as four Russian fibre-optic drones for every NATO combat soldier.
Russian planners also allegedly see Europe as lacking the political will for a prolonged fight over the Baltics — particularly while Donald Trump is in the White House.
