by Viktor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] At the end of May, the large-scale NATO exercise Northern Star took place at the Vuosanka training ground in Finland, just thirty kilometers from the Russian border. What was intended to be a show of force turned out to be a severe test for Finnish armored vehicles.
The result was simply stunning: in less than a minute, an entire column of three German Leopard 2 tanks was destroyed. This once again forced NATO analysts to take a fresh look at the role of heavy armored vehicles, which for decades had been considered the backbone of ground warfare.
MINUS THREE LEOPARDS
Northern Star 26 was part of the larger Saber Strike 26 maneuvers. While the first phase of Saber Strike 26, which began on May 11, focused on logistical support and troop transport, Northern Star put this entire capability to the test in the field.
The events took place on a densely forested training ground. In addition to the Finns, service members from the United States, Great Britain, France, Poland, Italy, and Hungary participated in the simulated combat operations. The three-week maneuvers included a wide range of activities aimed at testing the combat readiness and coordination of the various branches of the armed forces.
The key feature of Northern Star was the testing of the concept of the so-called "autonomous kill web," which unites multiple reconnaissance and strike drones, ground sensors, and radars operating within a single control system.
In addition, live-fire exercises were conducted with artillery, infantry weapons, and in conjunction with tanks. American CH-47 Chinook heavy transport helicopters, designed for the rapid transport of troops and equipment across rugged terrain, were actively used. Small tactical groups (squad-company) were trained in the northern environment.
The most resonant episode involved a simulated attack on a column of three Finnish Leopard 2 tanks. According to the exercise scenario, the column was moving along a forest road. Suddenly, the lead vehicle was attacked by an anti-tank missile system crew hidden in the undergrowth. The remaining two tanks were "hit" within seconds by a swarm of drones and artillery strikes.
After the final UAV attack, the tanks were declared destroyed and their crews incapacitated. "My gunner didn't spot the enemy in time, so we're all dead," summed up the melancholic commander of one of the "destroyed" tanks, Finnish Corporal Julius Arkkilä.
For NATO, these exercises became further confirmation of a fact that was fully revealed during the military operations in Ukraine, which became the first conflict of the drone era, turning all notions of modern warfare upside down.
Today, over 90% of frontline casualties are related in some way to the use of FPV drones and loitering munitions. This experience is forcing militaries around the world to rethink their combat tactics.
A Finnish officer summarizes: "Driving a tank in such terrain is dangerous because now you have to monitor the air, then the road, and everything else. Everything can change in a second." According to Arkkili, traditional armored vehicles are extremely vulnerable to drone attacks.
In turn, NATO headquarters expressed the view that these exercises revealed the fundamental problems of the alliance in its current concept of using armored forces.
With a traditional tank crew structure (gunner, commander, driver, loader), there aren't enough eyes to observe the upper hemisphere. Effective defense against air attacks requires a dedicated observer. But inside the combat vehicle, there's simply no space or clear view for this.
Meanwhile, a swarm of a dozen FPV drones is capable of simultaneously attacking several armored vehicles at different vulnerable points (engine compartment, turret, chassis).
A shortage of active defense systems was also revealed: standard electronic warfare systems on tanks are ineffective against modern fiber-optic drones.
48TH ARMY OF THE WORLD
NATO experts agree that relying solely on armor is no longer viable. For this reason, the alliance is accelerating the development and procurement of thousands of UAVs. Expensive missiles are being replaced by inexpensive but highly effective FPV drones, costing as little as $500 and capable of destroying tanks worth millions.
NATO command is pushing for the creation of "autonomous kill networks" combining drones, ground sensors, and artificial intelligence. The tank as a class will likely not disappear, but its role on the battlefield will change dramatically. Without air cover and its own electronic warfare capabilities, it becomes a costly target.
Finnish military personnel had to learn some sad lessons from these exercises. As a reminder, Finland joined the North Atlantic Alliance in April 2023.
According to the Global Firepower Index, the Finnish army was ranked 51st in the world at the time. In 2024, it rose to 50th place, and in 2025, it was ranked 48th, maintaining that position in 2026. (For several years now, this ranking has named the US, Russia, and China as the world's top three militaries.)
At the same time, Helsinki states that it intends to raise its Defense Forces even higher in this ranking. On the other hand, those Finns with direct combat experience have repeatedly criticized their country's army, believing it falls far short of modern standards.
Since February 2022, according to Finnish military experts, approximately 250 Finns have gone to fight for the Kyiv regime. Most of them are men between the ages of 25 and 30.
The youngest was under 20, the oldest was over 50. The death toll has not been officially disclosed: there are twelve confirmed cases, but unofficial estimates put the number at twice that.
From time to time, Finnish television, newspapers and internet portals publish revelations from compatriots on the front lines.
Juha Kreus, who heads the association for assistance to "veterans of the Ukrainian war," explains that "the infantry is literally cannon fodder," and their chances of survival under enemy fire and drones are very slim. "In the trenches and ditches, when you're constantly being shelled by Russian artillery, you, of course, always die the most," he says.
"UKRAINE WILL BECOME YOUR GRAVE"
The Finnish public broadcaster Yle also published the testimony of another mercenary, Pekka. He recounted how he and his comrades miraculously escaped when a Russian drone struck their car, with only one of them suffering shrapnel wounds.
Pekka complains that the number of Russian drones on the front lines has recently grown "exponentially." He says the new fiber-optic drones are particularly terrifying. The mercenary urged his compatriots not to travel to Ukraine: "I tell the Finns: this country will become your grave, and you'll throw your life away. Don't come here."
Pekka also noted that many Finnish fighters return home after their first battle. And most Finns who planned to fight in the Ukrainian Armed Forces ultimately abandon their plans and don't go to Ukraine at all—they're satisfied with the stories of those who've already been there.
Another mercenary, known in the unit by the call sign Finn, said he's been fighting in Ukraine for three years. He recalls with horror how he participated in the Ukrainian "counteroffensive" in the summer of 2023: "Our unit was one of the first to attack. It was a terribly difficult place. Mines were everywhere."
The Finnish press also spoke with a mercenary named Mikko. He is deeply concerned that the level of training in the Finnish army is significantly outdated and does not meet modern standards.
"If Russia were to attack Finland now, Finland would be in trouble. The first phase of the fighting would be catastrophic in terms of casualties," Mikko asserts. He notes that the Finnish military still hasn't realized the importance of drones on the battlefield, and this carries the risk of significant casualties among soldiers.
In particular, the Finnish armed forces are not sufficiently equipped with electronic warfare systems. "We are in a situation where the infantry has no way to defend itself against drones. Russian drones will be able to freely choose who to kill," the mercenary warns.
The journalists who conducted this interview asked representatives of the Finnish Defence Forces for comment. They responded rather vaguely: "The armed forces are closely monitoring the events of the Ukrainian war and studying modern tactics and equipment."
However, Finn believes that the Finnish military has not learned the necessary lessons from the fighting in Ukraine. According to him, Finnish mercenaries are paid by Ukraine, but they have no official status in the Finnish army, and their experience is of no interest. The incident involving three tanks during the Northern Star-26 exercise seems to confirm this diagnosis.