Strengthening cyber resilience in the Western Balkans through the WB Cyber Connect 2025 exercise
The Western Balkans have taken another step forward in strengthening their collective cyber resilience. From 4 to 7 November 2025, more than sixty cybersecurity experts from across the region gathered in Tallinn and online for the Western Balkan Cyber Connect 2025 technical exercise, the first-ever whole-of-region cyber defence exercise.
Led by the e-Governance Academy (eGA) and conducted on the CybExer Cyber Range, the exercise focused on developing participants’ hands-on cyber defence skills and strengthening regional cooperation in responding to cyber threats. Over four intensive days, experts practised how to detect, respond to, and recover from complex cyber incidents.
“Strong cybersecurity depends on trust and collaboration,” said Merle Maigre, Head of the Cybersecurity Competence Centre at the e-Governance Academy. “This exercise gave participants the opportunity to work side by side, share knowledge, and test their skills in a realistic environment. It is a step forward for the region’s collective resilience.”
The programme began with a practical training day aimed at improving defensive skills and understanding attack tactics, followed by a three-day Live Fire exercise that simulated realistic attack-and-defence scenarios. Participants worked under time pressure to counter cyberattacks in a secure, simulated environment, strengthening both their technical capabilities and teamwork.
“The exercise placed participants in a truly dynamic cyber battlefield,” said Aare Reintam, Chief Operating Officer at CybExer Technologies. “Our goal was to replicate the intensity of real-world cyberattacks while showing how coordinated defence and system resilience can make a decisive difference.”
The training is part of eGA’s ongoing efforts to build cybersecurity capacity and foster cooperation across the Western Balkans. By bringing together national experts and institutions from the Western Balkan region, the initiative strengthened trust, coordination, and readiness to address evolving cyber threats.
As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, exercises like WB Cyber Connect 2025 play a crucial role in preparing national and regional institutions to respond effectively and collaboratively. The exercise demonstrated the EU’s continued commitment as a trusted partner in advancing cyber resilience in the region.
The Western Balkan Cyber Connect 2025 technical exercise was organised by the e-Governance Academy and delivered in cooperation with CybExer Technologies, under the EU-funded Cyber Balkans project.
- The photo gallery is available here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCzERa