Ukrainian drone operators “defeated” Swedish forces during military exercises held in Sweden, raising concerns within NATO about the growing impact of drone warfare in modern conflicts.
According to the Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi, citing information from the Associated Press, the training was part of operation Aurora 26, Sweden’s largest current military exercise, bringing together around 18,000 troops from 13 countries.
During the exercises, the Ukrainians participated in the simulations as the “aggressor” force and managed to outperform Swedish units using tactics developed during the war against Russia. At certain moments, the exercises were even paused so Swedish officers could reassess their strategies.
“The Swedish forces have potential, but they need to improve their drones and tactics, and commanders must better understand the realities of drone warfare,” shared a Ukrainian drone operator with the callsign “Karat”.
The training mainly took place on the Swedish island of Gotland, considered strategically important in the Baltic Sea. The scenario simulated sabotage, power outages, and military threats in the region amid rising tensions between NATO and Russia.
Swedish officers stated that the battlefield experience gained by the Ukrainians is helping accelerate the development of new military doctrines in Europe.
“All Western armies need to quickly learn how to conduct and counter drone operations, and the fastest way is to listen to the Ukrainians,” noted Swedish defense chief General Michael Claesson.
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