The West and the Russian 'Zapad 2025' Exercise

Russia and Belarus conducted joint military exercises called 'Zapad 2025' near the European borders. The exercise involved the use of conventional weapons systems and, according to analysts, aimed to demonstrate strength and simulate war.

The 'Zapad' exercises have been held every four years since 1999. The last joint Russia-Belarus exercise took place in 2021, shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According to military analyst Joel Liinamaa, one of the goals of the exercise is the merger of the Belarusian and Russian armed forces, as well as exerting pressure on Alexander Lukashenko.

In contrast to 2021, where 200,000 soldiers participated, approximately 13,000 participated in 2025. A significant innovation was the testing of new systems and the introduction of artificial intelligence in warfare techniques.

The exercise took place in parallel with the NATO exercise Quadriga 2025 in the Baltic Sea and a few days after mass drone flights in Polish airspace.

Source: Deutsche Welle