Latest news with #ViktorKhrenin
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Belarus scales back planned military drills with Russia
Belarus will scale back military drills with Russia planned for September, cutting the number of soldiers taking part and moving them away from the western border, Minsk said Wednesday. Belarus is a key Russian ally and allowed its territory to be used as a staging post for Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv, as well as Poland and the Baltic states, have repeatedly expressed alarm about possible military build-ups in the country. Also Read | 'Only really bad thing — WWIII', says Russia's ex-President Medvedev as U.S., Russia clash over Ukraine "We have decided to reduce the parameters of the 'Zapad-2025' exercise and to move its main manoeuvres deep into the territory of the Republic of Belarus, away from the western borders," Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said in a statement posted Wednesday on the Ministry's Telegram channel. "The number of troops participating in the drills will be cut almost by half," General Valery Revenko, the head of the ministry's department for international cooperation said at a security forum in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek. Russian state media reported around 13,000 soldiers were originally set to take part in the drills. Defence minister Khrenin said the move was "to demonstrate to our allies and partners around the world the truly peace-loving position of the Republic of Belarus." The Zapad military drills usually involve tens of thousands of troops in a show of force close to Belarus's western border with EU and NATO members. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky last month warned Russia was "preparing something" in Belarus "using military drills as cover. "That's usually how they start a new attack," he said. Around 200,000 troops participated in the 2021 edition of Zapad, staged just months before Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Belarus to scale down Zapad military drills to 'reduce tensions,' Minsk claims
Belarus will reduce the parameters of the upcoming Zapad-2025 military drills and move maneuvers further inland from the western border to reduce tensions in the region, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin claimed on May 28. Zapad drills are large-scale joint military exercises regularly held by Russian and Belarusian forces. Minsk confirmed earlier this year that the 2025 drills will take place in mid-September, involving 13,000 soldiers. "We have made a decision to reduce the parameters of the Joint Strategic Exercise 'Zapad-2025' and move its main maneuvers deep into the territory of the Republic of Belarus from the western borders," Khrenin said, according to the Belarusian Defense Ministry's Telegram channel. Khrenin made the announcement during a meeting of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) ministers in Bishkek. The exercises have raised alarm in Kyiv and NATO, as they will take place amid Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Moscow's increasingly aggressive posture toward Western allies. President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia plans to deploy 15 divisions, totaling 100,000 to 150,000 troops, primarily in Belarus, possibly in preparation for a major military escalation. Responding to the Russian-Belarusian drills, Poland has announced it would hold simultaneous and proportional exercises involving NATO partners. Khrenin claimed that Zapad drills are "not aimed against anyone," stressing that Minsk's decision "indicates a readiness for dialogue and a reduction in tensions in the region." Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has been a key ally to Russia during its full-scale war against Ukraine. While not deploying its soldiers for combat, Belarus has provided its territory as a launching ground for Russian ground forces and missiles in 2022. Read also: Ukraine allegedly launches almost 300 drones at Russia; UAV facility near Moscow reportedly targeted We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Belarus scales back planned military drills with Russia
AP image Belarus will scale back military drills with Russia planned for September, cutting the number of soldiers taking part and moving them away from the western border, Minsk said Wednesday. Belarus is a key Russian ally and allowed its territory to be used as a staging post for Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv, as well as Poland and the Baltic states, have repeatedly expressed alarm about possible military build-ups in the country. "We have decided to reduce the parameters of the 'Zapad-2025' exercise and to move its main manoeuvres deep into the territory of the Republic of Belarus, away from the western borders," Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said in a statement posted Wednesday on the ministry's Telegram channel. "The number of troops participating in the drills will be cut almost by half," General Valery Revenko, the head of the ministry's department for international cooperation said at a security forum in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek. Russian state media reported around 13,000 soldiers were originally set to take part in the drills. Defence minister Khrenin said the move was "to demonstrate to our allies and partners around the world the truly peace-loving position of the Republic of Belarus." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The Zapad military drills usually involve tens of thousands of troops in a show of force close to Belarus's western border with EU and NATO members. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky last month warned Russia was "preparing something" in Belarus "using military drills as cover. "That's usually how they start a new attack," he said. Around 200,000 troops participated in the 2021 edition of Zapad, staged just months before Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia and Belarus plan joint military manoeuvres
Russia and Belarus are preparing a large new military manoeuvre together, the Belarusian state agency BelTA reported on Friday. "We plan to jointly develop measures to counter aggression against the Union State," Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov said during a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin in Minsk, according to BelTA. The Union State combines Russia and Belarus. The exercise, dubbed Zapad-2025, or West-2025 in English, will be the main event of the combat training of the regional troop formations, he said. The manoeuvre is planned for mid-September, according to the agency. Belarus has numerous manoeuvres planned this year, including joint ones with its ally Russia. The holding of exercises was decided at the presidential level, BelTA cited Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko as saying, also during a meeting with Belousov. "We do not intend to attack anyone, as some think," he said, likely directed at the West. At the Munich Security Conference in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cited intelligence sources as saying that the Kremlin was planning to move troops to Belarus. The deployment would be disguised as a joint military manoeuvre, he said. Minsk and Moscow are close allies. Lukashenko allowed Russian troops to attack Ukraine from his country when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of the neighbouring country. The deployment of Russian troops around Ukraine, including on Belarusian territory, was then declared a military exercise. Later, Putin stationed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. In the past, Russia and Belarus have conducted military exercises under the name Zapad. During the large manoeuvre in 2021, up to 200,000 people and hundreds of units of combat equipment were involved, according to Russian information at the time. NATO criticized the military exercise.
