Ukrainian service members have taken part in the Vistula Vanguard 26 wargame, sharing their combat experience to improve NATO training.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence reported this.

Ukraine continues to deepen its military cooperation with NATO by contributing to the organisation and conduct of joint wargames and exercises.

In July, the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) co-organised the Vistula Vanguard 26 (VIVA26) wargame. This was the first time the project was run jointly with the NATO Joint Force Training Centre.

The main purpose of VIVA26 was to assess how combat operations develop, drawing on real data from the modern battlefield. Using Ukrainian combat experience made it possible to bring the wargame’s scenarios as close as possible to the conditions of modern warfare, which increases the effectiveness of the Alliance’s future exercises.

A key role in ensuring the realism of the training was played by Ukrainian service members with hands-on combat experience.

They shared their expertise in the following areas:

  • the use of unmanned aerial vehicles;
  • electronic warfare;
  • reconnaissance;
  • combat engineering support.

During the wargame, Ukraine’s defenders presented the most up-to-date lessons learned from combat operations in Ukraine. This allowed participants to test NATO procedures and scenarios against real-world contemporary threats and to refine them where necessary.

JATEC emphasises that involving Ukrainian service members in such activities helps to enhance interoperability between Ukraine and Alliance member states.

The Vistula Vanguard wargame is part of a series of training activities designed to support and improve NATO command post exercises, in particular LOYAL LEDA and LOYAL DOLOS.

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