NATO not ready for future war with Russia based on Estonia exercises - WSJ

Russia and Ukraine have shown the world the future of warfare - America and its NATO allies were not ready for it. This conclusion was reached during large-scale exercises that NATO countries conducted in Estonia in May last year, UNN reports with reference to The Wall Street Journal.

Details

The author of the publication, WSJ editorial board member Jillian Kay Melchior, identified serious tactical shortcomings and vulnerabilities in the conditions of intense combat operations using drones, which were observed during the exercises called Hedgehog 2025.

These exercises involved more than 16,000 servicemen from 12 NATO countries, who trained together with Ukrainian drone specialists, including fighters recruited from the front line.

In Ukraine, the front line is mostly stabilized, but the exercises simulated a battlefield where tanks and troops still have some ability to move. In one scenario, a battle group of several thousand troops, including a British brigade and an Estonian division, tried to launch an attack. However, during the offensive, they did not take into account how transparent drones had made the battlefield.

At the same time, a team of about 10 Ukrainians, acting as the enemy, launched a counterattack against NATO forces. In about half a day, they simulated the destruction of 17 armored vehicles and carried out 30 "strikes" on other targets.

Recall

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Russia is suffering heavy losses in Ukraine and is advancing at the speed of a garden snail.