Ukraine issues warning to Belarus over border moves in Zapad-2025 drills
Illustrative photo: Belarus prepares for military exercises (Ministry of Defense of Ukraine)
Against the backdrop of the upcoming Russian-Belarusian military exercises Zapad-2025, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Minsk to refrain from provocations. The Belarusian army is strongly advised not to approach the borders of Ukraine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that since 2022, Belarus has had the status of an accomplice to the Russian regime's crime of aggression against Ukraine. In particular, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, provided the Russians with territory and airspace for the attack.
Lukashenko and his regime continue to provide political, military, military-technical, informational, and other types of support to Russia in the war against Ukraine. The cooperation between the two regimes — Minsk and Moscow — is a threat not only to Ukraine, but also to Poland, the Baltic states, and Europe as a whole. Not to mention that Minsk is hindering US President Donald Trump's efforts to stop the war in Ukraine.
"We call on our partners to remain vigilant, to increase sanctions and political pressure on Russia and Belarus, to jointly counter Russian propaganda and strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities, which protect Europe from the Russian threat," the statement says.
The Foreign Ministry added that Ukraine remembers very well how in 2022 the Russians and Belarusians lied that they were not going to attack, while under the cover of the Zapad-2021 exercises, they were amassing troops for an invasion.
"We warn Minsk against reckless provocations, advising to remain prudent, not to approach the borders and not to provoke the Defense Forces of Ukraine," the Ministry emphasizes.
West-2025 exercises
According to official data, the joint military exercises of Russia and Belarus, Zapad-2025, will take place from September 12 to 16, 2025. More than 13,000 military personnel are expected to take part in the maneuvers.
Moscow and Minsk claim that the exercises are purely defensive in nature and pose no threat. At the same time, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi warned that these exercises could be used as a cover for the covert formation of offensive military groups.
For more details on whether Russia and Belarus's Zapad-2025 exercises pose a threat to Ukraine and what the National Security and Defense Council has to say, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
