Zapad-2025: Russia and Belarus Launch Strategic Military Exercises Amid Rising Tensions in Europe

Russia and Belarus initiated joint military exercises on Friday, marking the first Zapad drills since Moscow’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

According to the Russian and Belarusian Defense Ministries, the Zapad-2025 exercises, which will last until September 16, aim to assess the two nations’ capacity to fend off an enemy assault, reclaim lost territory, and secure the borders of what they refer to as their Union State.

The drills are set to unfold in two stages: the first will concentrate on defense and coordination, while the second will focus on recovering territory and defeating adversarial forces. The exercises are being conducted at military ranges in both Belarus and Russia, as well as in the Baltic and Barents Seas.

Belarus has characterized these exercises as defensive and limited to its eastern regions. Earlier this year, officials in Minsk stated that approximately 13,000 troops would participate but later revised that figure to around half, a significant decline from the 200,000 troops involved in Zapad-2021.

Moscow has announced that it has invited observers from defense and economic coalitions led by Russia and China.

These military exercises come amid escalating tensions along NATO’s eastern border, with Poland accusing Russia this week of intentionally sending drones into its airspace. In response, Poland and NATO scrambled fighter jets to intercept and destroy the drones, marking the first instance where the Western military alliance has engaged Russian targets since the 2022 Ukraine invasion.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov informed reporters on Thursday that the Zapad-2025 exercises were preplanned and not aimed at “any third country.”

“This is a continuation of military collaboration and coordination practice between two strategic partners. We will maintain this trajectory, which is well-known to everyone,” Peskov stated.

These exercises are also occurring alongside Russia’s deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Minsk has indicated that the drills will include the testing of Russia’s new experimental nuclear-capable missile, known as Oreshnik, along with nuclear strike training.

A video released by Russia’s Defense Ministry to mark the beginning of Zapad-2025 showcased military operations in various environments, including armored vehicles moving through forests, attack helicopters and bombers in flight, as well as naval vessels and a submarine at sea.

In preparation for the exercises, Poland closed its border with Belarus on Thursday, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk labeling the event as “very aggressive.” Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania have all imposed restrictions on airspace near the Russian and Belarusian borders.

These nations conducted their own military drills in August and earlier this month, which analysts noted were strategically timed to coincide with Zapad-2025. Approximately 30,000 Polish and allied troops participated in Poland’s exercises, named Iron Defender 2025.