Russia and Belarus begin preparations for the West-2025 strategic exercises

Russia and Belarus are preparing for the West 2025 strategic military exercises, which will take place on Belarusian territory this year.

On the morning of January 14, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus press service reported on the staff training of the Joint Command of the Regional Group of Troops of the Russian Federation and Belarus.

It is noted that the purpose of the training is to “increase the defense capability” of the Union State.

“From January 14 to January 16, representatives of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia are practicing one of the options for the use of groups of troops (forces) during joint combat operations at stationary command posts,” the Belarusian military department said in a statement.

The staff exercise, which began in Minsk, is part of a set of measures to prepare for the joint strategic exercises “West 2025.”

The regional grouping of troops of Belarus and Russia was formed on the territory of Belarus in October 2022, allegedly in connection with the “aggravation on the western borders of the Union State.”

This happened against the backdrop of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

At the beginning of the large-scale invasion, Belarus became a staging ground for the Russian occupation forces’ offensive against northern Ukraine, including Kyiv.

From February 10 to February 20, 2022, unscheduled training exercises “Allied Resolve 2022” took place in Belarus. Four days after they ended, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.

The day before, the Belaruski Gayun monitoring group reported that Belarus had transferred about 1,500 military personnel to the regions bordering Ukraine, who had been withdrawn from there in September-October.

The soldiers were moved to Stolin, Lelchytsk, Mozyr, and Gomel districts. The exact time of the deployment is unknown.

At the same time, it is emphasized that these units do not currently pose a military threat to Ukraine.