Ukrainian Drone Operators Routed U.S. Troops During Exercises In Germany
- 12.08.2026, 23:29
The maneuvers revealed the vulnerability of heavy armored vehicles to drones.
Earlier this year, U.S. military personnel met with Ukrainian drone operators during military exercises in Germany, but the experience ended in failure for the Americans. This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.
According to sources, during the exercises, code-named “Combined Resolve,” Ukrainian drone units easily detected and destroyed U.S. troops and armored vehicles that had arrived as part of a rotation from Fort Hood, Texas.
Such maneuvers are conducted precisely so that troops can practice under realistic combat conditions.
Approximately 3,500 U.S. service members participated in the “Combined Resolve” exercises.
According to sources, their mission was to storm positions held by enemy forces at an army training range, which were reinforced by Ukrainian servicemen from the 412th Unmanned Systems Regiment (Nemesis). According to an army spokesperson, the troops were equipped with standard electronic warfare and counter-drone systems.
According to U.S. officials, Ukrainian drone operators destroyed a U.S. armored brigade during the exercises.
A participant in the exercises reported that the troops deployed heavy armored vehicles in combat, which kicked up dust, making them easier to detect by Ukrainian reconnaissance drones. These drones were followed by drones dropping explosives and first-person-view drones that fired on targets during combat.
It is noted that Ukrainian drones took out American equipment so quickly that it had to be returned to the exercises as new units or “repaired” so that the exercises could continue.
According to an army spokesperson, the rotating forces improved their performance, becoming more skilled at dispersal and camouflage, as well as in the use of electronic warfare systems. The Ukrainians also switched sides midway through the exercises and helped the U.S. forces effectively use unmanned technologies in offensive operations, the official added.
Importantly, this was not the first time the U.S. had encountered Ukraine’s expertise in the use of drones.
In 2023, an American infantry officer who was helping to train Ukrainian troops realized that the U.S. needed to learn from them in the field of drone warfare, and developed a training program that was subsequently adopted by other Army units, according to a U.S. official.