Putin's drone onslaught is a stark wake-up call for UK & Europe to a new era of warfare
28 May 2025, 07:16 | Updated: 28 May 2025, 07:20
Putin’s savage drone attack should be a wake-up call to the UK & Europe - this kind of warfare could come to other countries next.
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Over the past few days, Russian Premier Vladimir Putin has launched the biggest drone attack since the start of the war, with 900 drones launched on targets in Ukraine including the capital Kyiv over consecutive nights.
It follows a similar attack just over a week before, which also saw hundreds of drones launched on Ukrainian targets with some hitting civilian targets.
This latest attack needs to be the definitive wake-up call to Western nations; We may think that what happens in Ukraine is a distant issue that only affects one country, but the conflict there has tragically become a testing ground for the war of the future and what finds grim success there will no doubt be replicated on battlefields for decades to come.
Drones and indiscriminate tech-based warfare are now a staple of the 21st century battlefield and NATO countries not centring their defence capabilities on combatting them could lead to devastating consequences.
‘We are now living in the era of the drone war.’
Nearly 80% of battlefield casualties in Ukraine are caused by drones. According to the UN, drones have caused more civilian casualties since the start of the war than any other weapon.
Their ubiquitous presence on the Ukrainian battlefield proves that we are now living in the era of the drone war.
Ukraine understands the need for better defence against drones. Despite managing to shoot down hundreds of them, the attacks left 12 dead including children. A Ukrainian spokesperson pleaded for more air defence systems, adding: ‘strengthening the protection of our skies is crucial’
‘Other European cities could be next’
Just looking at the pictures from Kyiv over the weekend should strike fear into the hearts of Western nations. The cheapness, versatility, availability and size of drones makes them an easy choice for both rogue nations and terrorists.
Russia has been massively ramping up its drone production since the start of the war, and has been experimenting with new tactics to avoid existing air defence systems, as reported by the Kyiv Independent this week.
Thankfully, the UK has already seen how existential the threat from drones is, with the Defence Secretary John Healey singling out drones as a major focus of the government’s strategic review.
The Chancellor has already pledged to allocate 10% of the military’s equipment budget to spend on new technologies, including drones.
Furthermore, Healey acknowledges that innovation is now a key to the future of warfare. Cutting red tape and moving fast to adapt to new threats is essential to staying ahead of changing tactics and technology.
Speaking last week he said ‘We have to get more tech in the hands of our frontline forces. And we have to be capable of upgrading and innovating at a wartime pace if we want to give our armed forces the edge over adversaries.”
NATO governments should see what is happening in Ukraine as a warning. The ever-increasing threat posed by drones is not going anywhere.
The heartbreaking devastation seen in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine could one day be London, or Berlin, or Paris, unless the threat is treated with the gravity and seriousness it deserves.
The era of the drone war is here, and Western nations must ensure that the era of drone defence comes next.
Karl Rosander is adrone defence expert & CEO and co-founder of drone defence company Nordic Air Defence
