Latest news with #Zapad2025
The Star
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Lukashenko: Belarus-Russia military drills not to attack anyone
MINSK, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming Belarus-Russia military drills Zapad 2025 have no plans to attack anyone, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday during his meeting with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Minsk. Lukashenko said his country is ready for the exercise and not hiding anything from anyone, noting that this exercise is military drills and defensive in nature. Belarus is ready to accept Russian troops and conduct the exercises of joint group of forces of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, Lukashenko said. The Belarusian leader stressed his army will comply with the advanced methods of modern war and resistance, taking into account the experience of the special military operation and new principles. Lukashenko also thanked the Russian defense minister for the training of Belarusian military specialists in everything that Russians learn. In his turn, Belousov stressed that Russia and Belarus are not just allies, but have a common defense space, which they are strengthening due to an acute international situation and which they must strengthen as quickly as possible. The joint Belarus-Russia exercise Zapad 2025 is scheduled to take place in mid-September simultaneously in the two countries.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian Black Sea provocations 'increasing threat of accidental military incidents,' Latvian intelligence says
Russian military behavior in the Baltic Sea region is "increasing the threat of accidental military incidents," Latvia's Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD) has said in a new report. The annual report, cited by Latvian media on May 6, said Russia is using aggressive tactics, such as unauthorized airspace incursions and close encounters with NATO ships and aircraft. "The purpose of the provocations is most likely to intimidate and test the potential opponent, while attempts to discredit the reactions and defense capabilities of the countries of the region are not excluded," it said. These actions, MIDD says, are "increasing the threat of accidental military incidents." Russia's Baltic Sea Fleet has its headquarters and main base in Kaliningrad Oblast which has access to the Baltic Sea. The headquarters of the Russian Admiralty is based in St. Petersburg, also located on the Baltic Sea. A map of the Baltic Sea Region. (Lisa Kukharska/The Kyiv Independent) Russia has restructured its military presence along its Baltic flank. The former Western Military District, which bordered Latvia, has been split into the newly formed Leningrad and Moscow Military Districts. This was officially presented as a response to Finland and Sweden joining NATO, according to MIDD. Despite ongoing reforms, including the formation of a new army corps and the reorganization of old ones in Karelia and Kaliningrad, MIDD said that these changes have not yet resulted in a significant boost in Russia's combat power near Latvia. Most of Russia's military resources remain involved in the war in Ukraine. MIDD highlighted a sharp reduction in large-scale exercises due to equipment and manpower shortages. Nevertheless, Russia and Belarus are planning to hold the Zapad 2025 (West 2025) joint military exercises later this year, as part of a long-standing series of drills held every two years since 2009. The most recent iteration, Zapad-2021, involved over 200,000 participants and served as a prelude to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia is committed to a long-term militarization strategy, according to the report, and Moscow plans to expand its armed forces from one to 1.5 million personnel, with much of the focus on its western flank. While such goals may take years, or even a decade, to fully realize, Latvia should expect a gradual increase in troop presence near its borders after the intensity of hostilities in Ukraine decreases, it said. The report also stresses that Russia's wartime economy is likely to remain in place. The shift away from peacetime economic priorities reinforces a sustained need for external confrontation and military expansion, making Moscow's aggressive foreign policy not just a strategic choice but a domestic necessity, the MIDD added. Read also: Why the Baltic States fear Russia's Kaliningrad exclave We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zelensky warns Russia is 'preparing something' in Belarus under guise of military drills
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on April 29 that Russia is preparing potential military aggression under the guise of joint exercises with Belarus this summer. "Look at Belarus — this summer, Russia is preparing something there under the guise of military exercises. This is how its new attacks usually start," Zelensky said at the Three Seas Summit, according to Suspilne. "But where this time? I don't know. Ukraine? Lithuania? Poland? God forbid! But we all have to be prepared. All our institutions are open to cooperation." Belarus will host the Zapad 2025 (West 2025) military exercises with Russian forces, part of a long-standing series of drills held every two years since 2009. The most recent iteration, Zapad-2021, involved over 200,000 participants and served as a prelude to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite not being directly involved in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarus continues to host Russian troops and missiles on its territory. Belarus shares borders with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Russia, positioning it as a key strategic corridor between NATO and Moscow. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi previously said that the upcoming Zapad exercises could enable Russia to covertly assemble offensive forces under the guise of drills. Read also: Trump promised peace in 100 days, but Russia's violence against Ukraine has only escalated "All exercises have a purpose. And one of these goals is the covert creation of offensive troop groups," Syrskyi told on April 9. "The visibility of the exercises is the most acceptable way to relocate, redeploy troops, concentrate them in a certain direction, and create a group of troops." Zelensky has repeatedly cautioned that Russia may escalate military actions beyond Ukraine. On Feb. 14, during the Munich Security Conference, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to deploy up to 150,000 troops, primarily in Belarus, suggesting a possible buildup for future offensives against NATO countries. "Based on all the information I've gathered from intelligence and other sources, I think he is preparing for war against NATO countries next year (2026)," Zelensky said, though he added he could not be entirely sure. Tensions between NATO and Moscow have intensified following Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine. Western leaders and intelligence agencies have warned of a risk of a larger war in Europe within the next five years, pointing to Russia's growing militarization and hostile posture. Read also: 'I don't trust a lot of people' — Trump offers contradictory views on Putin's intentions in interview on first 100 days We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia's spring offensive has 'already begun,' Syrskyi says
Russia's new spring offensive against Ukraine "has actually already begun," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the outlet published on April 9. Syrskyi's comments come after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow is amassing forces for a fresh offensive against the Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts this spring. "I can say that the president is absolutely right, and this offensive has actually already begun," Syrskyi said. For nearly a week, Russian offensive operations have almost doubled in all main sectors, the commander-in-chief noted. Ukrainian officials and experts have been warning that Russia may launch a new offensive against the two northeastern regions to strengthen its hand in potential negotiations. The development comes after Russia recaptured much of its territory in Kursk Oblast, a Russian border region Kyiv attacked last year to disrupt plans for an offensive against Sumy Oblast. U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, but Moscow has rejected the 30-day truce agreed upon by Washington and Kyiv and continues its onslaught, hoping to use the time to seize more territory. Russia made significant advances on the battlefield, primarily in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast, last fall, but its push had slowed down in the early months of 2025. When asked whether the upcoming Zapad 2025 drills in Belarus in September could be part of preparations for the new offensive, Syrskyi acknowledged that military exercises can be used to redeploy and amass a new group of forces. At the same time, the Ukrainian commander-in-chief does not expect that the fall exercises will be used for that purpose, though Kyiv "has to take this factor into account." Read also: In Kyiv, skepticism about ceasefire reigns as Russia ramps up deadly attacks and US remains mute We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia Today
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Putin signs security guarantees for Belarus
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratified a security treaty with Belarus, reinforcing military ties between the two nations within the Union State and integrating Minsk into Moscow's nuclear deterrence strategy. The treaty – which was signed into law on Friday after being agreed on in December at a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State in Minsk – commits both countries to defend each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also allows for the potential use of Russian nuclear weapons to protect Belarus in case of aggression. Top Russian Senator Valentina Matvienko said the agreement is crucial given the current geopolitical tensions. The treaty, which includes provisions against unilateral sanctions, is set to last for ten years, with automatic extensions. A key provision allows for the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Russia has already stationed ballistic missiles in the country as part of their Union State partnership. Under the agreement, Belarus could request their use if deemed necessary. Both countries consider Russia's nuclear arsenal a deterrent against threats, to be used only as a last resort. Following the signing of the treaty, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko requested the deployment of Russian Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The new systems, which feature a hypersonic upper stage, could be stationed in Belarus in the second half of 2025, according to Putin. The Oreshnik was unveiled last year and tested in Ukraine, where it was used to strike the Yuzhmash military industrial facility in Dnepr in November. 'The treaty's provisions will safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly given provocations from EU countries bordering Belarus,' senior MP Vyacheslav Volodin said. Russia and Belarus have also announced they will hold the Zapad 2025 joint military exercise in September, involving more than 13,000 troops. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has been invited to observe. Lukashenko has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for military operations and to station tactical nuclear weapons. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed in February that a Russian military buildup in Belarus, which borders NATO members Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, could set the stage for an attack. Russia has denied claims that it could attack NATO members. In September, Putin announced updates to the Foundations of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Area of Nuclear Deterrence. The revised document states that under certain conditions, Moscow could consider a proxy war against Russia as justification for using nuclear weapons.
