
NATO's top military commander in Europe is preparing a strategy to quickly repel a potential Russian attack on Alliance territory, combining drones and artificial intelligence with conventional military power.
The document, titled "Theory of Victory", is being developed under the direction of the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, and is expected to be presented in Poland on October 12.
According to Bloomberg, which has reviewed an unclassified version of the document and spoken to senior officials and diplomats familiar with the initiative, the strategy aims to define how NATO would respond to a possible Russian incursion into the territory of allied countries.
At the heart of the plan is the use of new technologies, particularly drones and artificial intelligence, alongside existing military capabilities.
The technology is not intended to replace traditional forces. The goal is to integrate new systems with existing military power to speed up decision-making on the battlefield and give NATO the ability to stop an attack before Russia achieves its initial objectives.
The strategy also reflects the Alliance's efforts to learn lessons from the war in Ukraine, where drones, automated targeting, electronic warfare and rapidly changing technologies have become central elements of military operations.
A system from Finland to the Black Sea
The shift towards wider use of automated technologies has already begun on NATO's eastern flank.
According to previous reports, the Alliance is planning a unified surveillance and defense system from Finland to the Black Sea, relying on drones, satellites, sensors and artificial intelligence to detect and help repel attacks.
The approach also draws on experience from Ukraine, where drone systems guided by artificial intelligence can identify targets and continue operations even when Russian electronic warfare cuts off communication with operators.
Ukrainian lessons are also being reflected in NATO's conventional equipment. During the Freedom Shield 2026 exercise near the border with Belarus, Germany's 45th Armored Brigade equipped Leopard 2 tanks and Fuchs vehicles with anti-drone protection modeled on the experience of the war in Ukraine.
The new strategy comes at a time of high tensions between NATO and Russia and concerns among allied countries about the security of the eastern flank.