What's happened
Russia and Belarus are wrapping up five days of military exercises involving around 7,000 troops, including nuclear-capable bombers and missile tests. The drills, held amid heightened tensions with NATO after recent airspace violations, aim to test combat readiness and demonstrate military strength, with some observers viewing them as provocative.
What's behind the headline?
The Zapad 2025 drills serve multiple strategic purposes. They are a clear demonstration of Russia's military power, including hypersonic missiles and nuclear-capable bombers, aimed at deterring NATO expansion and intervention. The exercises also reinforce Belarus's role as a key partner, with the stationing of nuclear weapons and missile systems in Belarus signaling a significant escalation. The recent airspace violations by Russian drones, coupled with NATO's response, suggest a deliberate display of force designed to test Western resolve and readiness. These drills are likely to deepen regional insecurity, increase NATO's defensive posture, and could precipitate further escalation if misinterpreted. The timing, shortly after incidents involving Russian drones and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, indicates a calculated effort to project strength and complicate diplomatic efforts for peace.
What the papers say
The Moscow Times reports that the exercises involved 13,000 troops, including 65 from India, and included testing of non-strategic nuclear weapons and missile deployment. Al Jazeera highlights the participation of 7,000 soldiers, with Russian bombers conducting combat training amid recent airspace violations by Russian drones into Poland and Romania. Both sources emphasize the regional tensions and NATO's concerns, with The Independent noting the drills' scale and the deployment of nuclear-capable systems, including the hypersonic Oreshnik missile. The contrasting perspectives focus on the drills' defensive claims versus NATO's view of them as provocative, illustrating the complex geopolitical landscape.
How we got here
The exercises follow Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and are part of ongoing efforts to showcase military capabilities and deter Western intervention. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has supported the war without deploying its own troops, while Russia has stationed tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus. Recent incidents, including drone violations of Polish and Romanian airspace, have increased regional tensions and prompted NATO to bolster defenses.
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