12-06-2025
NATO expands satellite surveillance to monitor Russian activity
Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, has stated that the Alliance is expanding its satellite surveillance capabilities to cover larger areas, enabling NATO to track military movements in Ukraine and along Russia's borders with Eastern European countries.
Source: Vandier in an interview with Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Vandier said that the new tool will allow NATO to monitor "huge areas", including manoeuvres, troop movements and battlefield actions for the first time.
"Today we're not certain the Russians will stop at Ukraine. We'll be able to tell them: we're watching," he noted.
Bloomberg reports that NATO has selected the American satellite imagery provider Planet Labs to implement the initiative.
The new project has been named Smart Indication And Warning Broad Area Detection (SINBAD). It aims to conduct frequent monitoring of large areas across the globe throughout the year, using artificial intelligence to detect changes and automatically issue warnings.
An Alliance official told Bloomberg that the technology could also be used to monitor the Arctic, which is becoming increasingly strategic due to rising Russian and Chinese interests in the region.
Background:
NATO member states are preparing to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP. Part of these funds will support Ukraine, which could significantly strengthen the capabilities of Ukraine's defence forces.
The new spending target is expected to be divided: 3.5% of GDP for direct military needs and another 1.5% for broader security projects, including infrastructure.
Some NATO countries, such as Canada and Luxembourg, may provide aid to Ukraine and consider this to be fulfilling the new 5% GDP defence spending commitment.
Read more: No promises, just funding: NATO Hague summit to approve new ways to support Ukraine in fight
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