War of technology: 110 Ukrainian UAV operators “destroyed” two NATO battalions during exercises in Estonia!

During the exercise Hedgehog 2025held in May in EstoniaUkrainian drone operators “destroyed” two battalions as part of the scenario NATO in just one day. This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.

According to Western officers, the results of the maneuvers forced the leadership of the alliance to seriously think about what capabilities it might have Russian armywith an estimated 90 thousand drone operators with the prospect of increasing to 180 thousand.

More than 16 thousand military personnel from 12 countries took part in the exercises. During the maneuvers, they encountered Ukrainian specialists in unmanned systems, many of whom have real combat experience on the front line.

Exercise scenario and the role of drones

According to one of the scenarios, a large group, including a British brigade and an Estonian division, tried to carry out an offensive operation.

The opposing side consisted of two Ukrainian groups: the first numbered about 100 people, the second – only 10 operators using the system Delta.

Ukrainians crush two NATO battalions during drills

During the Hedgehog 2025 exercises in Estonia, Ukrainian drone operators “destroyed” two NATO battalions in a single day, The Wall Street Journal reports.

More than 16,000 troops from 12 allied countries took part in the… pic.twitter.com/NSGj5UJZbn

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 13, 2026

Delta – This modern battle management systemwhich collects data in real time, applies elements of artificial intelligence to analyze information, identifies targets and coordinates strikes between units.

The use of this system allows you to create a quick “chain of defeat” – from target detection to its destruction.

Results of simulated battles

In half a day, a smaller group disabled 17 armored vehicles and carried out about 30 more strikes on various targets.

As a result, two battalions were considered “destroyed” within the scenario and lost the ability to continue participating in hostilities.

A former Estonian armed forces officer and drone specialist who participated in the exercise noted that even with only half of the reconnaissance drones used, “it was impossible to hide” from the real Ukrainian level.

“We found mechanized units quite easily and quickly neutralized them with strike drones.”he said.

NATO Threat Assessment and Conclusions

Several sources told the publication about the reaction of one of the commanders who observed the maneuvers, who described the situation with the phrase: “We’re finished”assessing the scale of possible capabilities of Russian unmanned forces.

According to Western military officials, the massive use of drones and systems based on artificial intelligence radically changes the rules of warfare.

At the same time, it is recognized that Western countries are not yet fully prepared for the new reality, in which the decisive role is played by autonomous systems, digital control and high density of attack drones.

The exercise in Estonia was a clear demonstration that technological superiority in the field of drones can quickly change the balance of power on the battlefield.

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