FT: The Commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces Assessed Risks for the Baltic States Until 2028 0 13

The Commander of the National Armed Forces of Latvia, General Kaspars Pudans, stated that Russia has gained a significant advantage in the production and use of drones, which it may use to increase pressure on the Baltic states before NATO's large-scale rearmament is completed.

In an interview with the Financial Times, he noted that Moscow's main advantage is not technological superiority, but the ability to rapidly increase drone production and quickly adapt them to the conditions of modern conflict.

"Their advantage lies in the scalability of drones. They can quickly replenish stocks and have large volumes on a large scale," emphasized Pudans.

According to the Latvian general, Russia does not have more advanced drones than NATO countries, but it significantly outpaces the Alliance in production volumes and the speed of implementing new solutions.

Pudans noted that many modernization programs for NATO armed forces will only be implemented by 2029. Until that moment, in his opinion, a period of heightened risks remains.

"If I were in the Kremlin, I would say that if we are going to do something, we must do it by the end of 2028," the general stated.

Pudans distinguished two levels of threat. A large-scale invasion is currently unrealistic - Russia is occupied in Ukraine. However, hybrid actions: sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation - are possible at any moment.

"We live with the assumption that aggression in some form could happen as soon as this evening," the general emphasized.

As noted by the Financial Times, NATO recognizes the need for accelerated development of drone technologies and increased production capacities to reduce the existing lag.

In Pudans' opinion, the ability to quickly produce and replenish drone stocks is becoming one of the key factors of modern military power.