Russia is gaining an edge over NATO not through more advanced technology, but through its ability to produce drones quickly and in large quantities, Latvian Armed Forces Commander General Kaspars Pudans said in an interview with the Financial Times.

According to Pudans, the fighting in Ukraine has given the Russian military a constant testing ground where new solutions can be tried, adjusted and improved directly under front-line conditions. He said this has strengthened Russia’s capabilities in unmanned systems.

The general argued that Russia’s advantage lies in the scalability of its drone production: it can rapidly replenish stocks and maintain large volumes on a broad scale.

At the same time, Pudans said NATO remains stronger than Russia in several traditional military areas, including aviation. But the alliance, he added, still faces difficulties in increasing defense spending, expanding its industrial base and deploying additional forces along its eastern flank.

Pudans also said Russia could try to attack NATO countries before Europe completes its rearmament. He suggested that this risk could remain until the end of 2028, calling the Baltic states the most vulnerable section of the alliance’s eastern flank.

Earlier, the Independent reported that NATO had held exercises in the London Underground, rehearsing a «deep strike» scenario against Russia. According to the newspaper, military personnel used one of the subway stations as an underground headquarters and modeled actions in the event of an attack on allied forces.

Moscow has repeatedly said that Russia has no intention of attacking NATO countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that Western politicians use the idea of a «Russian threat» to frighten the public and divert attention from domestic problems. In his view, such claims have no real basis and mainly serve to intensify anti-Russian rhetoric.