Russia and Belarus scale back Zapad-2025 drills - ISW
Photo: ISW explains why Russia and Belarus have reduced the scale of military exercises (twitter com armscontrol_rus)
Russia and Belarus have reduced the scale of their joint military exercises Zapad-2025, scheduled for this fall. The move is linked to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts believe Russia and Belarus scaled down the joint exercises and moved the main maneuver further from Belarus' western borders, likely to create a perception of continued cooperation and divert attention from Russia's limited military capabilities outside the Ukrainian front.
ISW emphasizes that Belarus could not have made this decision without Russia.
Belarusian officials previously claimed that at least 13,000 troops would take part in Zapad-2025. Analysts suggest the two countries likely had to reduce the drills because most of the forces are engaged in Ukraine.
ISW observed that in Zapad-2021, units from the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army (Moscow Military District), 20th Combined Arms Army, and 6th CAA (Leningrad Military District), as well as roughly 4,000 Airborne personnel, including from the 7th, 76th, 98th, and 106th Airborne divisions, took part. A large portion of these formations are now fighting in Ukraine.
The ISW also recalled that Russian officials unexpectedly canceled the Zapad-2023 exercises, very likely due to Russia's need for weapons and manpower for the war in Ukraine.
Russia-Belarus drills
Earlier, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin announced that the Zapad-2025 military exercises, scheduled for September, will be moved deeper into the country, away from Belarus' western borders.
Khrenin claimed the move demonstrates Belarus' readiness for dialogue, compromise, and de-escalation.
Previously, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi did not rule out that the joint drills between Russia and Belarus could serve as preparation for military action.
