US military officers have made a surprise appearance at joint Belarus-Russia war games, just days after NATO jets were scrambled due to Russian drones crossing into Poland.
The “Zapad-2025” drills, which Belarus insists are defensive, have drawn close scrutiny from Western observers.
Whilst Minsk claims the smaller scale of this year’s exercises—involving 7,000 troops compared to 200,000 in 2021—demonstrates a desire to reduce tensions, NATO members along the eastern flank remain wary.
The drills coincide with Russia flexing its military muscle elsewhere, showcasing Iskander-M missile systems in Kaliningrad and conducting bomber patrols in the Barents Sea.
As Belarus attempts to present the exercises as transparent by inviting international observers, neighbouring countries have responded with heightened security measures.
Poland has closed border crossings and increased troop numbers, whilst Latvia and Lithuania have tightened airspace controls.
The European Commission is closely monitoring the situation, calling on Russia and Belarus to adhere to OSCE rules on military transparency.
With tensions high and NATO on alert, every manoeuvre in these war games carries significance far beyond Belarus’s borders.
Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig reports.
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