Inside Camp Jomsborg, the Viking-Themed NATO Camp Training Ukrainian Troops

Camp Jomsborg is in eastern Poland, roughly two hours from Ukraine’s border, and was built to prepare Ukrainian soldiers for Russia’s ongoing invasion. Norway says the camp is larger than 100 football fields and is the largest camp the Norwegian Armed Forces has ever built abroad. Its construction required felling 75,000 trees and took just a few months, according to the article.

The camp recreates combat environments Ukrainian troops are likely to face, including trenches, forests, urban areas, and open fields. Western forces simulate Russian attacks using Soviet-designed tanks, armored vehicles, motorcycles, and drones. Ukrainian soldiers also train to seize, protect, and hold trenches, with mock Russian foxholes used for attack and grenade-throwing practice.

Camp Jomsborg includes a mock Ukrainian village with a fake gas station, stacked shipping containers, buses, and overturned burnt-out cars. Training uses laser systems, small explosive charges, and stun grenades to mimic battlefield conditions. A drone airstrip and drone lab let soldiers test, repair, modify, and 3D print parts, while Norwegian instructors study Ukrainian innovations and lessons from the front.

The camp’s Viking theme appears in its name, entrance, signs, and streets such as Thor Street and Odin Road. The Telemark Battalion, whose emblem is a Viking ship, leads the training and emphasizes a “warrior mentality” rooted in Norwegian heritage. Maj. John said that mentality is not about reckless aggression, but about applying its strongest qualities within the ethical and moral standards required of modern soldiers.