More than 3,000 British troops have returned home after taking part in a massive multinational military exercise on the border of Russia, in a powerful display of NATO unity and readiness amid rising tensions in Eastern Europe.
Soldiers in uniform were seen departing through an airport terminal beneath a glowing “departures” sign, signalling the end of Exercise Hedgehog – a major operation involving 17,000 troops from 12 NATO and partner nations.
Images captured troops carrying weapons outside buildings, operating drones indoors, chopping wood, and manning trenches in dense Estonian forests.
The large-scale drills, which took place across northeastern and southeastern Estonia, were designed to test the combat readiness of the Estonian armed forces and their ability to respond to a potential attack from Russia. They also demonstrated the capacity for rapid deployment of NATO reinforcements, with British troops arriving in Estonia by road, rail, sea, and air in under 48 hours.
Corporal Vincent Price UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025 MOD Crown Copyright News / Editorial Licence.
Led by the British Army’s 4th Light Brigade Combat Team, known as ‘The Black Rats’, the UK’s contribution marked the first time the brigade had fully integrated into an Estonian division under NATO command. The 4th Light Brigade is maintained at high readiness in Britain, prepared to reinforce Estonia in the event of conflict.
The 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment (1 LANCS) and the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) formed Battlegroups in Estonia’s Nursipalu training area, conducting rigorous urban and woodland combat drills. Soldiers constructed trenches similar to those used by Ukrainian forces to resist Russian aggression, while NATO allies staged assaults using drones with simulated pyrotechnics and blank ammunition.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Carman, Commanding Officer of 1 LANCS, said:
“The 1 LANCS Battlegroup is a key part of 4th Light Brigade’s Forward Land Forces. We have deployed on Exercise Hedgehog as a mission rehearsal, showcasing our ability to rapidly commit forces to the region, and demonstrating NATO’s readiness to respond against threats to member states.”
He added:
“I think a lot of people underestimate the threat that faces us every day. Part of us being out here is not necessarily always to deter but to reassure our allies and to better train alongside them and to show all the nations that form part of NATO that we stand as one. That is key, we are far stronger together than we are alone.”
Further north, 6,000 troops conducted training in the sprawling central training area near NATO’s Tapa Camp. British firepower on display included Challenger 2 main battle tanks, Warrior armoured vehicles, Apache helicopters, multiple launch rocket systems, the Titan armoured bridge launcher, and cutting-edge drones.
Lieutenant Colonel Grant Brown, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (1 MERCIAN), led a multinational Battlegroup which included a French company and several British units.
“The exercise has proved really useful for improving our own training level,” Lt Col Brown said. “As a multinational Battlegroup commanding a French company, it has made us more interoperable with the French and the Estonian headquarters.”
“The huge number of drones above us, clearly a threat in modern warfare, has proved challenging but also an amazing opportunity to train against that threat.”
More than 500 troops from 1 MERCIAN took part, forming the core of a 800-strong UK force that included elements from 19 Regiment Royal Artillery, the King’s Royal Hussars, 2 Medical Regiment, and 26 Engineer Regiment.
“When you add this to the roughly 230 French troops, we’ve got a sizeable force package out here,” Lt Col Brown noted.
Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of maintaining long-term cooperation with NATO allies:
“After Exercise Hedgehog finishes, I expect the Battlegroup to continue building relationships with our Estonian partners, supporting the commitment to persistent presence throughout the region.”
The Estonian Defence League – a volunteer military organisation under the Ministry of Defence – also played a key role, operating alongside regular forces with full combat capability.
The 12 nations that participated in Exercise Hedgehog included the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Finland, Poland, Portugal, and host nation Estonia. Observers from Japan, Israel and Ukraine were also in attendance.
Exercise Hedgehog is one of several major drills in Northern Europe under Operation Razoredge, NATO’s coordinated effort to bolster its eastern flank. Over the coming weeks, 13 NATO allies will carry out exercises in six countries involving 16,500 allied troops – including 6,000 from the UK – in a clear message of collective strength.
