According to analysts from the American publication Defense News, Russia is fully capable of withstanding a large-scale drone strike from NATO on its territory. As armies around the world try to learn from the lessons of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, one key question arises: Have drones replaced traditional weapons like tanks and artillery?

The analysts argue that there are several reasons why NATO would be making a mistake if it relied heavily on mass deployments of small drones and long-range kamikaze drones to replace traditional weaponry.

In an interview with Defense News, British military analyst Justin Bronk pointed out that Russia currently possesses some of the most effective counter-drone systems in the world. In addition to electronic warfare systems and short-range air defense, the Russian military uses nets to deflect drones and armor plates to protect their equipment.

Bronk explained that only a small fraction of the drones launched by Ukrainian forces actually hit their targets, and an even smaller number cause significant damage. He believes that if NATO decides to heavily invest in drones at the expense of replenishing its traditional weaponry, Russian forces would find it significantly easier to counter these drones, reducing their effectiveness compared to what has been seen in Ukraine so far.