"Ukrainians are the best in the world at operating drones. We know we are inferior to them and we are constantly learning from them through cooperation", Defense Minister Pal Jonson told TV4 on Sunday.
The Aurora exercises, which wrapped up Wednesday, involved 18,000 soldiers in southern Sweden, including on the strategically located Baltic island of Gotland, where troops simulated defending against a Russian attack. Ukrainian units participated alongside Swedish and allied forces.
In a report from Gotland published Sunday, the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper described a scenario in which two Ukrainian soldiers, Vadym and Oleh, played the role of a Russian special forces unit infiltrating the island using a drone equipped with a thermal camera to locate Swedish defensive positions. When asked by the newspaper to assess Swedish capabilities, the Ukrainians said Swedish troops "perform well, but still have a long way to go".
Jonson said Ukraine's participation reflected how the relationship between the two countries has evolved. "We are deeply grateful for the arrival of units from Ukraine, fighting on the front lines, and their participation in demanding exercises", he said.
Asked whether Sweden would be defeated if Russia tested NATO, Jonson said broadly that Sweden was "making enormous investments and building capabilities together with allies".
Swedish Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Carl-Johan Edstroem, also appearing on TV4, said the military would intensify training in the coming years, introduce new drone systems and prepare units to operate under new threat conditions. Swedish soldiers are to continue receiving training from Ukrainian experts.
(jh)
Source: PAP