Weekend combat drills in the Baltic states show how civilian volunteers are preparing for conflict amid Russia's war against Ukraine.

In Latvia and Lithuania, medics and fighters are training with real weapons and lifelike simulations — from battlefield first aid in abandoned Soviet buildings to 360‑degree defense in frozen forests. Latvia's Zemessardze, Lithuania's Riflemen's Union and Estonia's Kaitseliit count tens of thousands. With Russia next door on NATO's eastern border, volunteers say preparedness and patriotism are essential.