Ukrainian drone pilots turn military exercise in Sweden into critical warning for NATO

(13 May 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gotland, Sweden - 11 May 2026
1. Wide of camera pan along Gotland's coastline
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, The Associated Press: ++PARTIALLY OVERLAPPED BY SHOT 1 AND 3 TO 6++
"We are on the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea… and in a war, this would likely be one of the most important places for the defence of Europe. The island is in the middle of Baltic Sea between the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad – and Moscow’s missiles -- and Sweden."
3. Wide of person standing on a pier overlooking the sea
4. Wide of people socializing at an outdoor café
5. Wide of quiet street scene
6. Wide of cyclist passing by a cafe
7. Wide of archer artillery system launching shot
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, The Associated Press:++PARTIALLY OVERLAPPED BY SHOTS 7 AND 8 TO 16++
"Swedish forces here, along with other NATO allies, are practising how to operate in a state between peace and war - when disinformation, sabotage and cyberattacks have been ramped up. But the people here with the most real life fighting experience are the Ukrainians - they’re battle hardened and teaching Sweden and its allies about how to win at drone warfare."
9. Wide of electric aircraft flying as part of NATO exercises with American allies
10. Wide of military vehicle shooting
11. Wide of military tank maneuvering in a dusty field with archer passing by in the foreground
12. Wide of a tank shooting
13. Mid of Ukrainian soldier operating his drone
14. Close of Ukrainian soldier using his goggles, with his drone monitor in the background
15. Mid of a drone flying
16. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Tarik, Ukrainian drone pilot:
"They stopped training with us three times."
17. Close hands operating the drone with the monitor in the background where you can see the drone footage
18. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Tarik, Ukrainian drone pilot: ++Reporter question off camera: "So they would have been dead ."++
"Yes."
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, The Associated Press:++PARTIALLY OVERLAPPED BY SHOTS 20 TO 24++
"Looming over these exercises though are President Donald Trump’s war with Iran and order to pull US troops from Europe. Some American air defenses and missiles have already been moved towards the Middle East and Trump’s threat to pull more troops has left some politicians wondering, to what extent the US would be actually be there for Europe in its hour of need."
20. Wide of American soldiers gathered near air defense vehicles during NATO exercises
21. Mid of three US soldiers in front of a military vehicle
22. Mid of Swedish soldiers on a tank with American solders in the foreground
23. Mid of US flag patch on soldier's uniform
24. Mid of Ukrainian soldiers with focus on American soldiers in the background
STORYLINE:
The war game scenario was this: One of NATO’s newest members, Sweden, was under threat by an unnamed country that was building up troops along the military alliance’s eastern border. And in an unusual twist, non-NATO member Ukraine was there to advise on drone warfare — and delivered a critical warning to the alliance.

The Associated Press was allowed to witness the Swedish-led military exercise this week as Europe faces not only the threat of Russia but the wavering of NATO’s most powerful member, the United States.

The war game that also involved U.S. forces played out with a real threat in mind. For months, Russia has ramped up sabotage including cyberattacks against critical infrastructure and disinformation against countries across Europe, as detailed by an AP investigation.
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