Nato to need up to 350,000 extra troops to defend against Russian attack

Nato leaders last year agreed on the alliance's first major defence plans in more than three decades. File picture: AP /Vadim Ghirda

Nato will need between 35 and 50 extra brigades to fully realise its new plans to defend against an attack from Russia, a military source has said.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to provide any more detail about the plans, which are secret. A brigade consists of between 3,000 and 7,000 troops, so generating 35 to 50 more such units would present a significant challenge.