Zapad-2025: Russia's Show of Force Raises Alarm in NATO
Russia and Belarus have been conducting the Zapad-2025 military exercise on Belarusian territory since September. This drill, which tests responses to a hostile attack and recapturing lost territory, has raised alarm across NATO, particularly in the Baltic states and Poland. The exercise comes amidst a new wave of Russian aggression, with daily drone incursions in Nordic nations and a large-scale military drone incursion into Poland on September 10.
The Kremlin used Zapad-2025 to showcase its high-end capabilities, including strategic forces like Tu-22M3 bombers, despite Kyiv's devastating operation in June. The exercises triggered alarm across NATO, with the alliance deciding to bolster its eastern flank with counter-drone units and fighter jets in response. NATO partners have held military drills near the Suwałki Gap, a vital corridor for the Baltic states and a prime target for Moscow. Poland responded with the Eastern Sentry operation involving about 30,000 troops, and NATO forces including the Bundeswehr and countries like Lithuania held large-scale maneuvers such as Quadriga 2025 and Iron Defender 25, focusing on defense readiness along NATO's eastern flank.
Russia's integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) into its hybrid warfare strategy highlights improved drone technology, impacting the battlefields of Ukraine. Daily drone incursions have become a daily occurrence in Nordic nations, with a large-scale military drone incursion into Poland on September 10. Despite Russia's economic stagnation, the Kremlin appears confident in expanding its campaign, with Zapad-2025 fitting the pattern of Russia raising tensions along Poland's eastern flank, following Belarus' suspension from the 1990 Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty.
The Zapad-2025 military exercise has underscored Russia's continued military capabilities and willingness to raise tensions along NATO's eastern flank. NATO's response, including bolstering its eastern flank with counter-drone units and fighter jets, signals a commitment to defending its members and deterring further aggression.
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