- Russia, Belarus Showcase Air, Naval Power in Zapad-2025 Finale
Moscow, September 16, 2025 (Khyber Mail): The final stage of the Zapad-2025 joint strategic exercise concluded this week, with Russia and Belarus demonstrating extensive air and naval capabilities in a series of simulated combat operations designed to repel hypothetical aggression against the Union State.
Held from September 12 to 16 across 41 land and sea training grounds in both countries, the exercise mobilized approximately 100,000 service personnel and deployed 10,000 units of modern weaponry, including 333 aircraft and 247 naval vessels. The drills encompassed coordinated command-and-control procedures, aerial and artillery strikes, unmanned aerial surveillance, and simulated casualty evacuation.
President Vladimir Putin personally inspected the training grounds, reviewed advanced weapons systems, and addressed participating forces. He emphasized that the scenarios were grounded in real combat experience, underscoring Russia’s commitment to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security.
The exercise featured a fictional scenario in which an adversary attempted to destabilize an allied state, “Polesye,” prompting a joint Russian-Belarusian counter-operation. Notably, Iskander-M operational-tactical missile systems were positioned in Kaliningrad, with electronic launches simulating nuclear readiness without physical deployment.
Under the banner of the Union State, Russia and Belarus led the drills with participation from India, which dispatched a 65-member tri-service contingent led by the Kumaon Regiment. Other active contributors included Iran, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Congo, and Mali.
In total, 25 foreign delegations attended, with 16 countries sending official representatives and six deploying military contingents. Observers from 23 nations were present, including NATO members such as Turkey, Hungary, and the United States, alongside delegations from China, Pakistan, North Korea, Cuba, and the UAE.
Belarus reiterated its compliance with the OSCE Vienna Document, extending invitations to all 56 participating states to observe the exercise.
The drills coincided with heightened NATO activity in Eastern Europe. Poland’s Iron Defender exercise involved 30,000 troops and 600 units of equipment, while NATO’s Eastern Sentry patrol was launched in response to reported incursions by Russian drones into Polish airspace.