NATO unprepared for warfare with drones, AI and robots, says Lithuanian security expert

NATO remains inadequately prepared for modern warfare involving drones, artificial intelligence and robotics, a Lithuanian defence analyst warned in an interview with national broadcaster LRT.

Gintautas Mažeikis, a professor at Vytautas Magnus University, stated that Ukrainian forces have demonstrated greater adaptability in these domains than NATO units. “Ukrainian battalions have shown they are far more advanced than NATO formations,” he said during LRT Television’s *Savaitė* programme.

The comments follow a rise in drone incidents across the Baltic states, which Mažeikis attributes to both Russia’s escalation in Ukraine and deliberate provocations. “Russia is expanding its drone defence systems and may be redirecting intercepted drones toward the Baltics,” he explained, adding that such incidents are likely to increase.

Mažeikis dismissed suggestions that misdirected Ukrainian drones could be responsible, arguing that Russia is orchestrating provocations—including repurposing captured Ukrainian drones—to undermine regional unity. “There’s no doubt Russia will stage various provocations to make us react inadequately or take misguided measures,” he said.

The primary goal, he suggested, is psychological rather than military: “These incidents serve a propaganda role, targeting different audiences—Baltic societies, Russia’s domestic population, and Russian-speaking communities in Latvia and Estonia.”

Addressing NATO’s readiness, Mažeikis acknowledged progress but noted persistent gaps. “Lithuania’s military has woken up to the threat, but not all NATO members grasp the situation,” he said. The cost disparity between drone intercepts (€2,000–3,000 per unit) and scrambling fighter jets further complicates responses.