Russia Attacks a NATO Country in a War Game. It Doesn’t End Well.
Russia Attacks a NATO Country in a War Game. It Doesn’t End Well.
Russia Attacks a NATO Country in a War Game. It Doesn’t End Well.
By Carolina Drüten
February 13, 2026
Summary
A war game conducted by WELT and the German Wargaming Center at Helmut-Schmidt-University simulated a Russian invasion of Lithuania to test how Germany and NATO would respond. Held on December 1, 2025, the all-day exercise featured retired military leaders, diplomats, and security experts playing decision-makers. In the scenario, Russia seized the Suwałki Gap, severing the Baltic states from NATO, while the United States hesitated to intervene. Germany scrambled to coordinate a European response without American backing. The simulation exposed weaknesses in Berlin’s decision-making, slow reactions, and overreliance on the U.S., concluding that deterrence fails long before escalation occurs.
Reference
Drüten, C. (2026, February 13). Russia attacks a NATO country in a war game. It doesn’t end well. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/13/russia-nato-wargame-germany-simulation-00778818