Col. Aron Kalmus said the annual drill, which involves broad segments of society, inevitably brings the military into contact also with people acting in bad faith. Among incidents recorded this year was the cutting of fiber-optic cables used for communications, though he described such cases as isolated.

"During the exercise, we also carried out territorial defense tasks — our entire Defense League was deployed in the Valga, Rõuge, and Otepää areas. There, in cooperation with the police, a number of individuals were detained for checks and taken to the station for further proceedings or to provide statements," Kalmus said. "There were additional cases during the exercise, but by now they have been handed over to the police or military police, and the proceedings are ongoing."

Overall, Kalmus assessed the exercise as successful, with participation exceeding 75%, and said it demonstrated both progress and areas requiring improvement.

The exercise highlighted the need to accelerate adoption of new technologies, particularly in drone warfare and the broader electromagnetic spectrum. Kalmus described ongoing changes as closer to a "revolution" than an evolution, noting the need to better integrate soldiers, unmanned systems and battlefield conditions.

He said higher-level command structures — divisions, brigades and battalions — performed well, but emphasized the need to further develop capabilities at the small-unit level, including individual soldiers, squads and platoons. These improvements are critical for resilience and for effectively deploying new technologies.

Participation remained strong, with reservists and volunteers traveling from abroad — including the United States and the United Arab Emirates — to take part. Kalmus said the armed forces met their participation targets.

At the same time, he suggested future exercises may shift in focus, moving from large-scale formations toward more targeted training. While large exercises remain important for deterrence and allied cooperation, smaller units and specialized capabilities — such as drones — require more concentrated training environments.

The exercise also included a real-world test of Estonia's readiness to respond to aerial threats. Units maintained operational preparedness while continuing training, part of a new "combat readiness" approach. Kalmus said coordination and response times were strong, with NATO allies, including Romanian fighter jets, rapidly assisting after detecting an aerial object in Estonian airspace.

Security incidents during the drill were limited. The military monitored individuals approaching training areas, including photographers and people attempting to collect spent ammunition. Some individuals were questioned, and a small number were transferred to military police for further handling by civilian authorities.

Kalmus declined to provide details on specific cases, citing ongoing investigations. He said most people behaved responsibly, aided by cooperation with local governments and clear public communication.

The suspected sabotage of a fiber-optic cable is under investigation. Kalmus said the incident was not unprecedented, noting that cables are sometimes damaged accidentally by vehicles or even by military activity. While he did not rule out intent, he cautioned against drawing conclusions before the inquiry is complete.

"We use fiber-optic cables for communications, and those cables can get damaged either by us or by civilians driving over them. This is inevitably a consumable for us, as has also been demonstrated by the war in Ukraine," Kalmus explained.

"There are still some troublemakers and ill-intentioned individuals in Estonian society who are not well disposed toward our country or national defense. This is an inevitable cross-section of our society—there's nothing we can do about it."

Despite such incidents, Kalmus said the exercise achieved its main objectives, including significant progress in drone capabilities. This year, the volume of unmanned systems in the air was so high that not all could be deployed simultaneously.

The drill also saw substantial allied participation, including a full British brigade operating in southern Estonia and northern Latvia. In addition, 27 defense industry companies from countries including the United States, Finland, Ukraine and Germany tested equipment in field conditions.

Kalmus said feedback from Ukrainian partners and other allies indicated Estonia had made notable advances, particularly in integrating digital reconnaissance and strike capabilities at the battalion level.

"These steps give us confidence that we are moving in the right direction," he said.

This story was updated to add direct quotes by Col. Kalmus.

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