MINSK (Realist English). From September 12 to 16, the armed forces of Belarus and the Russian Federation are conducting Zapad-2025, a joint strategic military exercise aimed at strengthening the security of the Union State.
According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the declared theme of the drills is the “employment of force groupings to ensure the military security of the Union State.”
The exercise has three main objectives:
- improving the command and control skills of commanders and staff in repelling aggression against the Union State
- raising the level of coordination between command structures and the field readiness of troops in carrying out joint tasks to maintain peace and protect national interests
- rehearsing joint actions to neutralize threats and stabilize the situation along the Union State’s borders
Officials emphasized that Zapad-2025 is a planned element of the joint training cycle for the regional grouping of forces. It was preceded by a series of preparatory activities held both in Belarus and Russia. The drills are being carried out at training ranges located in the interior and eastern regions of the two countries.
In a statement accompanying the start of the exercise, Belarus reiterated its commitment to international peace and security, denouncing war as a means of policy and affirming adherence to the principles of peaceful dispute resolution, equality of states, non-interference in internal affairs, and other norms of international law.