Zelenskyy sounds alarm as Russia and Belarus prepare military exercises
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
Russia plans to conduct new military exercises on the territory of Belarus. The Ukrainian military is monitoring its scale and possible risks, according to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Read also: Ukraine’s border forces assess risk amid Belarus-Russia joint drills
"I know they are talking about joint military exercises with the Russian Federation on the territory of Belarus. Again. We’ll see how large-scale they will be," Zelenskyy says.
According to him, the last time the exercises were very large-scale, an attack on Ukraine began.
"Therefore, all this definitely poses major risks for Ukraine. And, I believe, major risks for Belarusians," the head of state adds.
Military exercises in Belarus
Russian and Belarusian troops regularly conduct joint military exercises on the territory of Ukraine's northern neighbor.
In September last year, the active phase of the Zapad 2025 exercises took place, attracting considerable attention from the international community. The final stage took place at a training ground in Mulino, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Russia.
According to Russian propagandists, it ended with the defeat of the simulated enemy and the advance to the simulated state border. Vladimir Putin, who this time appeared in military uniform, arrived to observe the maneuvers.
ISW analysts noted that the Russian leader's appearance was not accidental: it was probably intended as a signal to NATO countries, which the Kremlin has been constantly threatening recently.
Incidentally, Moscow has expanded the geography of the exercises to include the Kaliningrad region, which borders Poland to the south and Lithuania to the north and east.
