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Ukrainian drone veterans train Estonia’s Defense League in battlefield tactics

Estonia’s Defense League volunteers are learning drone warfare from Ukrainian operators who spend up to 29 days at a time on the front lines, where drones serve as the “eyes of God” in modern combat.

byMaria Tril

16/06/2025

2 minute read

A drone being launched. Source: kpr/OR-2 Maria Tammeaid

Ukrainian drone veterans train Estonia’s Defense League in battlefield tactics

Ukrainian drone operators have begun teaching Estonia's volunteer Defence League military warfare tactics in a program now in its third week, ERR reported on 16 June. The training near Tapa base involves teams of volunteers hunting each other's drones. "The specific task for this course is for the third weekend – we've split into two teams that have to find each other, report it, and call in long-range fire," said operator Erki.

Ukrainian instructors currently on leave from the front lines are leading the program. "Artillery – that's like the 'weapon' of God. I would say drones – those are the 'eyes' of God. Right now, nothing gets to happen without a drone," said instructor "Max." Another instructor, "Picasso," described combat reality: "In the evening we're taken to our position – between 7 and 8 PM. You get out of the car, grab your gear, carry it into the dugout and start work right away. It lasts six hours. After that, you sleep for six hours. You fly, you bomb." Front-line deployments can last weeks. On average it is seven days and nights. "But the longest I've been there was 29 days," "Picasso" said. Soldiers use Starlink because a 4G solution reportedly only shows the enemy the target. Estonia's new "Kullisilm" (Hawk's eye) drone unit was announced last month. Current trainees will become instructors this fall, teaching new students in forest and bunker locations. The program builds on Estonia's purchase of over 100 training drones two years ago. Baltic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania also operate drone manufacturing facilities and transfer portions of production to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Politico reports Baltic countries are preparing hospitals for possible war with Russia. Read also:

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