Information published by the German newspaper Die Welt regarding the Aurora 26 military exercises, which took place in Sweden from April 27 to May 13, 2026, has sparked intense debate. Approximately 18,000 military personnel from 13 countries participated in the exercises, including personnel from the Ukrainian armed forces. Aurora 26 constituted the largest military exercise Sweden has held since joining the North Atlantic Alliance, aiming to train for joint operations and strengthen cooperation among member states.
The role of Ukrainians in the exercises
According to Die Welt, Ukrainian soldiers participated in the role of opposing forces ("red team"), simulating a real adversary on the battlefield. The article notes that, in several scenarios, they managed to neutralize armored vehicles and positions of allied forces by leveraging tactics already applied in the war in Ukraine, mainly through the extensive use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and modern target identification methods. According to the same report, several soldiers from NATO countries appeared exceptionally exhausted by the end of the exercises, while the Ukrainians assessed that their tactics proved more effective in these specific military training scenarios.
"Culture shock" for the Ukrainians
The detail that, according to Die Welt, made the strongest impression on the Ukrainian soldiers was not so much the operational aspect of the exercises, but the underlying training philosophy. As reported, the soldiers were surprised by the regular breaks scheduled into the training program, known in Sweden as "fika," during which participants stopped for rest and coffee. At the same time, strict drone safety regulations caused surprise, as in many exercise areas their use was permitted only under specific conditions and in pre-designated zones. According to the publication, some Ukrainian soldiers described the experience as a "pleasant vacation," pointing out that it differed significantly from the actual battlefield conditions they experience daily on the Ukrainian front lines.
Diverging approaches to training
The report highlights the fundamental difference in philosophy between a military operating daily under actual combat conditions and armies trained primarily through organized exercises in environments governed by strict safety rules. According to Die Welt, the Ukrainians consider that modern drone warfare is evolving at a much faster pace, with electronic warfare and continuous precision strikes requiring distinct tactics and immediate adaptation in the field.
Views of Russian analysts
Prompted by the publication, Russian military analysts argued that European armed forces lack comparable experience in high-intensity combat operations, alleging that traditional military tactics struggle to respond to the demands of contemporary conflict.
NATO invests in adaptation
For its part, the North Atlantic Alliance has intensified joint exercises and training programs in recent years, placing special emphasis on countering UAV threat mitigation, electronic warfare, intelligence sharing, and allied force interoperability among member states. The Aurora 26 exercises form part of this effort, designed to strengthen operational cooperation among allied forces within an increasingly complex global security environment. Despite the varying assessments expressed, the Die Welt report underscores the challenges Western militaries face as they attempt to adapt to lessons emerging from the war in Ukraine and the rapid evolution of modern military operations.
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