he is actually fighting tobi. he is not a shadow clone. the ones he sent to kakashi/5 kages were shadow clones
he doesn't clone the 9 tails
but there is a psychic connection with tailed beasts,
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he can still communicate with kurama through their minds
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this is how he is able to speak to all the tailed beasts
it is also explained that when he makes a clone of himself, he is multiplied, but the kurama is not. which is why during his use of shadow clones, kurama is able to suck more of his chakra out of him, they show a diagram of it here
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