US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons
Special forces exercise simulates operating in enemy territory using tactics learned from the Ukraine conflict.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons
Photograph: ZN.UA Зеркало недели (embedded from source)
What this story says
- US Army Green Berets are training Polish special forces in a drone-focused military exercise in Germany.
- The exercise simulates moving through enemy territory and launching drone strikes, mirroring tactics used in the Ukraine conflict.
- This is the first time a NATO ally has participated in this specific training, which is based on lessons learned from Ukraine's war with Russia.
- The Associated Press was granted rare access to observe the training and the soldiers involved.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 17 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 1 of the 18 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
57/100
Hype
20/100
18 sources · methodology
Thin on the right so far
Only 1 of the 17 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
US Army Green Berets are instructing Polish special forces in a drone-centric military exercise conducted in Germany. The training is designed to simulate scenarios such as infiltrating enemy lines, traversing hostile territory for miles, and executing drone strikes on critical enemy positions. This exercise is informed by the experiences of Ukrainian troops in their ongoing conflict with Russia. The Associated Press received unusual access to observe the training grounds and the participating soldiers.
The exercise, which began recently, is intended to replicate the difficulties Ukrainian forces have encountered. It is the first time a NATO ally, Poland, has taken part in this particular training. The drill involves Polish special forces attempting to bypass a U.S. Army airborne infantry unit acting as the opposing force. The scenario requires Polish soldiers to move undetected through approximately 60 miles of German countryside to reach a training area where they must destroy a simulated target.
Disagreement on exercise details
The Associated Press report states the exercise involves Polish special forces attempting to sneak past a U.S. Army airborne infantry unit. The AP report also details that the Polish forces must then move north through about 60 miles of German countryside to another training area. Digests from The Seattle Times, abc News, Ottumwa Courier, Rutland Herald, and Winnipeg Free Press mention the simulation of moving through enemy lines and launching a drone strike, but do not specify the U.S. Army airborne infantry's role or the 60-mile traversal.
Omissions
None of the right-rated digests mention the U.S. Army airborne infantry unit playing the role of the enemy, nor do they detail the 60-mile traversal through German countryside as described in the Associated Press report.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 7 times, most recently on 30 Aug 2026, 19:00, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
8 rated outlets
- Left-rated reports led on the U.S. coaching Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on Ukraine lessons. These reports highlighted the simulation of moving through enemy lines and launching drone strikes on key enemy locations. They also noted the exercise's design to replicate challenges faced by Ukrainian troops in their conflict with Russia. The Associated Press's rare access to the training ground and troops was also mentioned.
Centre
8 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports focused on the U.S. coaching Polish forces in a drone-focused drill informed by lessons from Ukraine. These digests mentioned the simulation of moving through enemy lines and executing drone strikes on enemy locations. They also noted the exercise's purpose in replicating challenges faced by Ukrainian troops. Several centre-rated digests included the opening descriptive paragraph from the Associated Press report about soldiers emerging on a rainy night.
Right
1 rated outlet
- The right-rated report led on the U.S. coaching Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine. This digest mentioned the simulation of moving through enemy lines and launching a drone strike on a key enemy location. It also noted the exercise's design to replicate challenges Ukrainian troops have experienced.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons?
- Of the 17 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 47% are rated left, 47% are rated centre, 6% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 18. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 17 rated outlets on this story, 47% are rated left, 47% are rated centre, 6% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons biased?
- US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons is one event reported by 18 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered US trains Polish forces in drone warfare based on Ukraine lessons?
- 18 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the purpose of the military exercise?
- The exercise is designed to train Polish special forces in drone warfare and operating behind enemy lines, using tactics and lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine. It simulates moving through enemy territory and launching drone strikes.
- Who is participating in the exercise?
- The exercise involves members of the Polish special forces being coached by U.S. Army Green Berets. U.S. Army airborne infantry soldiers are playing the role of the enemy force.
- Why is this exercise significant?
- This is the first time a NATO ally, Poland, has participated in this specific training. It highlights the growing focus on drone warfare and the adaptation of battlefield lessons from Ukraine into NATO training.
Read it at the source
18 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
8- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens The Washington Post in a new tab)
The Washington Post — is The Washington Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens ABC News in a new tab)
- US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens Associated Press News in a new tab)
Associated Press News — is Associated Press News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens Durango Herald in a new tab)
Durango Herald — is Durango Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens St Catharines Standard in a new tab)
St Catharines Standard — is St Catharines Standard biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record — is The Record biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens The Hamilton Spectator in a new tab)
The Hamilton Spectator — is The Hamilton Spectator biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
8- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens Santa Maria Times in a new tab)
Santa Maria Times — is Santa Maria Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens My Mother Lode in a new tab)
My Mother Lode — is My Mother Lode biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on (opens WBAL in a new tab)
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens coasttv.com in a new tab)
coasttv.com — is coasttv.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens Rutland Herald in a new tab)
Rutland Herald — is Rutland Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens Ottumwa Courier in a new tab)
Ottumwa Courier — is Ottumwa Courier biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens The Hill in a new tab)
- Exclusive: US coaches Polish forces in a drone-focused drill based on lessons from Ukraine (opens Winnipeg Free Press in a new tab)
Winnipeg Free Press — is Winnipeg Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
1Not rated
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