Republic of Estonia Government Office announces ILVES 2026 (LYNX 2026), one of Estonia’s largest crisis exercises

Announced: April 8, 2026, here.

Details: This year, the Government Office of Estonia will lead the nationwide comprehensive defense exercise ILVES 2026 (LYNX 2026). More than 130 organisations from the public, private and third sectors will take part, practicing crisis management and cooperation.

According to Prime Minister Kristen Michal, ILVES 2026, which will run from 8-12 June, will be one of the biggest exercises of its kind, bringing together thousands of people from more than 130 public authorities, local governments, businesses and volunteers. “Comprehensive defence is more than just a term or concept,” he remarked. “Everyone needs to be aware of their role and responsibilities. Our aim is to make sure that even in a crisis, decisions are taken quickly, people understand them, information flows smoothly and vital services operate as they should. We know that the enemy seeks to sow fear and confusion and to erode trust. That is exactly the sort of situation that ILVES trains us to deal with. Preparedness and playing out these scenarios together is essential. It ensures that Estonia and its people will be better prepared for any crisis.”

ILVES 2026 has been designed as a management and cooperation exercise for handling a variety of crisis situations and guaranteeing the continuity of the state and society. It will run through how to successfully deal with influence by a hostile state, including situations like information operations, large-scale public disorder, sabotage, explosions and drone threats. The focus will be on situations in which urgent decisions have to be taken, public order and public safety have to be ensured and vital services have to be kept running. The exercise will examine how crises are managed, how people work together and how information that is clear and reliable reaches people. Evacuations, rescue operations and the provision of assistance to people in need will also be practised, among other things.

The main part of the exercise will take place around Estonia over five consecutive days from 8-12 June 2026. During this period, the public may notice more activity than usual on the part of authorities or receive updates about the exercise. Drills taking place in public spaces are announced in advance and safety is ensured. Also being organised throughout the year as part of ILVES 2026 is a range of sub-exercises and preparatory activities, including exercises within and between public authorities, training and study days, and testing of cooperation and information exchange processes.

Preparations for ILVES 2026 have been ongoing for almost a year. The organising of such an exercise does not imply an imminent threat. ILVES 2026 is coordinated and funded by the Government Office of Estonia in cooperation with its partner agencies. The Emergency Act provides for the regular organisation of drills, and states that nationwide crisis-management exercises must be carried out at least once every four years. The last time a similar series of exercises took place was CREVEX in 2023.

ILVES

ILVES was not chosen as the name of the exercise at random. It is the Estonian word for the lynx: a smart, skilful and independent animal whose tracks confirm that it is always on the move and always on the alert, even if it is rarely seen or heard. The lynx is primed to react at the right moment to defend its territory, and to do so decisively. The same principle applies to crisis preparedness: being prepared means that systems work, that everyone is aware of their responsibilities, that cooperation is effective, that decisions are made at the right time and that, if the situation demands it, any action taken is concrete, coordinated and visible. Just as the lynx symbolises preparedness, so ILVES is about ensuring that society as a whole is prepared: public authorities, local governments, businesses and communities all play their part in guaranteeing that crises can be tackled in a swift, considered and decisive way. It also generates a sense of security. It is preparedness that is consistently maintained and enhanced. 

Photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash.