Against the backdrop of massive tensions with the West, the major joint exercise between Belarus and Russia began this morning.

The exercise, called Sapad 2025 ("West 2025"), will take place at military training areas in Belarus and Russia, as well as in the Baltic and Barents Seas, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. The exercise is intended to train the interaction of various units, particularly between commanders and staffs, in the joint defense against a threat.

According to Moscow, observers and troop contingents from other Russian partner countries are also participating in the exercise. This applies specifically to the Russia-dominated CSTO military bloc and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

No official information on troop strength

Moscow has not provided any official information on the number of soldiers and troop units deployed. According to Western estimates, a total of approximately 30,000 troops are involved, including about 8,000 on Belarusian soil.

Minsk recently announced that the scope of the exercise would be reduced and parts of the drills would be moved inland to reduce tensions with its western neighbors. However, the exercise will also test the Oreshnik medium-range missile, which can potentially carry nuclear warheads.

Compared to previous exercises, the maneuver is relatively small. Around 200,000 soldiers participated in the exercise in 2021. The troops that remained in the western regions of Russia and Belarus then launched their attack on Ukraine in February 2022. Due to the ongoing conflict there, reserves for exercises are limited.

Tensions are high

Russia's relations with the EU and NATO are severely strained because several Russian drones appeared over Poland this week and were then shot down. Poland and Lithuania subsequently closed their airspace.