Former Interior Minister Valentin Radev warned that NATO faces serious threats from drone incursions after recent Russian provocations near alliance airspace. The explosives expert told bTV that Eastern European countries must develop early warning systems to detect, track, and destroy unauthorized drones. He noted that European defense programs allocated 3.4 billion euros from a 150 billion euro fund to counter aerial threats.
Bulgaria has numerous enterprises with over 20 years of experience in drone manufacturing, but the government needs to invest in defensive capabilities. Radev explained that NATO classifies drones by weight, with strategic models exceeding 600 kilograms posing the greatest danger through large explosive payloads. He stated that only Russia and Ukraine have developed combat readiness for drone warfare since February 2022, while NATO members remain unprepared for such conflicts.
Bulgaria has numerous enterprises with over 20 years of experience in drone manufacturing, but the government needs to invest in defensive capabilities. Radev explained that NATO classifies drones by weight, with strategic models exceeding 600 kilograms posing the greatest danger through large explosive payloads. He stated that only Russia and Ukraine have developed combat readiness for drone warfare since February 2022, while NATO members remain unprepared for such conflicts.
