Photo: Video screenshot
Sweden simulated a potential Russian attack on the island of Gotland during military exercises, where Ukrainian drone operators effectively “destroyed” NATO forces in a simulated scenario, according to Associated Press.
The exercise scenario imagined Sweden—one of NATO’s newest members—facing a threat from an unnamed country massing troops along the Alliance’s eastern flank. Ukraine, although not a NATO member, was invited as a drone warfare advisor and delivered a critical warning to Western allies.
Journalists from Associated Press observed the drills, which took place as Europe faces not only growing threats from Russia but also uncertainty surrounding the stance of the United States under Donald Trump.
The scenario was based on realistic risks. In recent months, Russia has intensified hybrid operations across Europe, including cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and disinformation campaigns.
The simulated war game tested how NATO countries would respond before invoking Article 5. In the scenario, Gotland faced power outages and food shortages caused by sabotage.
Rear Admiral Jonas Wikström, who led the exercise, said such a situation could theoretically happen “as early as tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Sweden’s Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén Claesson emphasized that any reduction in U.S. military presence in Europe would significantly affect regional security dynamics.
Ukrainian drone operators played the role of the attacking force during the drills—and decisively outperformed Swedish units. A 24-year-old operator with the callsign “Tarik” said the exercises had to be stopped three times as NATO troops struggled to adapt.
“If this were a real war, they would already be dead,” he said.
Another operator, “Karat,” noted that while Western armies have strong potential, they urgently need to improve drone technology, tactics, and command-level understanding of drone warfare.
Ukrainian forces demonstrated how small FPV drones are used on the battlefield—often with limited visibility and under extreme conditions—something, they say, Western militaries still do not fully grasp.
U.S. Brigadier General Curtis King acknowledged that Western forces must rapidly develop both drone and counter-drone capabilities, emphasizing the importance of learning directly from Ukraine’s experience.
The drills focused on Gotland due to its strategic position in the Baltic Sea, between Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave and mainland Sweden.
“If you control Gotland, you control the central Baltic,” Swedish officials noted.
Analysts warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin could theoretically test NATO by attempting to seize a limited territory like Gotland to assess the Alliance’s response.
