The army is hitting the field - the military exercise Blesok 2026 will involve 1,500 members of ARM at multiple locations across the country. NATO will observe and evaluate, which means this is not just a domestic drill, but an examination before allies. Combat readiness is being tested against NATO standards, and the General Staff will inform on the start of activities.

For a country that spent years barely visible within the Alliance, Blesok 2026 is a chance to show that membership is not just on paper. 1,500 soldiers in the field, NATO eyes watching - this is the moment that shows whether investments in defence capabilities have borne fruit or stayed at the level of budget line items.

At a time when the region is more unstable than it has been in the last decade, exercises like this are not routine - they send a message. The question is only to whom it is addressed.