This must be treated with deadly seriousness. Thousands of soldiers at the border with Poland

Especially since atomic warhead simulations will be conducted for the first time. Warsaw closed border crossings with Belarus and sent additional soldiers to the border, Vilnius and Riga decided to close the airspace. Their own military exercises are conducted by Poland – Iron Defender-25, Lithuania – Thunder Peruna and Latvia – Namejs 2025.

‘Zapad is Russian for “West”. The name refers to the geographical direction in which these operations are directed. And Russia, Belarus and another Kremlin allies hatred the West and want to take us in fear – says reserve colonel Maciej Matysiak. According to erstwhile Deputy Head of SKW, and presently expert of Stratpoints Foundation Russia strives to destabilise the West, and Zapad 2025 may be a good chance to do so. They practice various variants of military confrontation with NATO, including Poland. The Russians want to exert force and besides prepare military structures, operational plans, but at the same time it is simply a propaganda element, a demonstration of force and an effort to make fear in us – adds.

Additionally, 48 hours before the planned start of the exercise, respective Kremlin drones violated Polish airspace. The military don't cover that the situation is tense.

Nuclear weapons exercises

The collapse of 2025 is the first since 2021 – since the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine – strategical command and relay exercises. It includes the Russian military districts of Moscow and Petersburg, the Arctic region, the Baltic Sea and the Barents Sea and Belarus. The main activities take place at the camp close the town of Borisów in the Minsk region. According to Evocation.info, they sent their troops to Zapad 2025 as observers, but besides participants including China, Bangladesh, Serbia, Kazakhstan, India, Iran and Burkina Faso.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin consistently does not uncover the exact practice scenario. The detailed plan of manoeuvres is secret, but as the Deputy Minister of Defence of Lithuania informs Tomas Godliauskas, as of Friday 12 September soldiers Putin and Lukashenko and their allies check the readiness of Moscow and Leningrad Military Districts, Baltic Fleet and military communication between Moscow and Minsk. They besides simulate attacks utilizing atomic warheads towards targets in Europe.

The Belarusian military confirmed that during the maneuvers of Zapad 2025 the usage of atomic weapons and the Russian strategy of hypersonic ballistic missiles "Oreshnik" was to be practiced. These missiles can carry respective warheads and attack different targets, reaching a velocity of over 3.5 kilometres per second, which is peculiarly hard to shoot down by anti-aircraft defense. This is the first atomic component in the past of Zapad maneuvers.

According to the “Kyiv Post”, the exercises are besides held close the Belarusian town of Hoża, located 13 km from the border with Lithuania, close the strategical corridor connecting Poland with Lithuania – the Suwałki gulf, the possible point of inflammation between Russia and NATO. This picturesque section of north-eastern Poland is even regarded as 1 of the most dangerous places in the world.

The slide of the NATO Achilles heel

During the Tuesday government gathering on maneuvers Fall 2025 said Donald Tusk. – Their goal is, among another things, a celebrated slide. nonsubjective in terms of simulation of actions – stated the head of the Polish government.

Analysts confirm that the seizure of this 80 km long of land that separates Belarus from the Russian royal circuit is 1 of the points of exercise. The slide is simply a key point in Vladimir Putin's strategy and at the same time NATO's Achilles heel. Strategists fear that in the event of escalation of tensions between the North Atlantic alliance and Russia, Russian forces can take over the slide and cut off the Baltic countries – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – from the remainder of NATO.

General Leon Komornicki On the X platform, he wrote that the exercises of Zapad 2025 would be "specific prelude before armed assault on 1 of the Baltic countries or on all". In military opinion, however, force will not happen during these exercises. – This could happen next year, in 2 years, and be the announcement of a script that will shock the full region – states. The military argues that Zapad 2025 should be considered not only as training manoeuvres, but above all as "a serious informing signal for the North Atlantic Alliance’.

No wonder Poland takes the full substance very seriously. – Before Russia invaded Georgia, she practiced. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, she practiced. Now he's practicing his raid on NATO, and he's besides practicing his atomic weapons. We have learned for 500 years that erstwhile Russia threatens us, it must, unfortunately, be treated with deadly seriousness. – says Radosław SikorskiChief MFA.

NATO maneuvers and closed border

NATO states are not passively looking at what Russia is doing. Our country and the Baltic States have already begun or are planning their own military maneuvers. – Poland has been preparing for Zapad maneuvers for many months – says Caesary TomczykDeputy Chief of the MON. – In September, in order to respond appropriately, the Polish military is conducting exercises involving more than 30,000 Polish soldiers as well as soldiers of the alliance [NATO] – explained.

We're talking about a code-name exercise. Iron Defender-25. It is 1 of the largest and most crucial training projects of the Polish army this year taking place in the fields in Orzysz, Ustka, Nowa Dęba, but besides in the Baltic, in airspace and in cyberspace. In Lithuania, however, there are manoeuvres under the code name Perun Thunder, involving 17,000 Lithuanian soldiers and NATO states. The Latvian army has prepared exercises Namejs 2025which will last until October 8th. 12 1000 soldiers are involved, mainly from Latvia and Estonia.

In consequence to Russian-Belarusian maneuvers Zapad 2025 Poland decided to temporarily close the border with Belarus. Donald Tusk, announcing this decision, stressed the seriousness of the situation and the request for preventive action. The Prime Minister reported that on Thursday night on Friday Poland would close borders with Belarus, including rail crossings. – The border is not closed for the duration of the collapse, only for the Zapad. The closing time of the border is unlimited. We'll be analyzing the situation. all script should be prepared. – assessed Marcin KierwinskiHead of the Ministry of abroad Affairs.

Lithuania closed its airspace along part of the border with Belarus in late August. Air traffic in the designated region shall be prohibited until at least 1 October. A akin step, i.e. the closure of airspace along borders with Belarus and Russia, was decided by Latvia – but after respective Russian drones flew into Poland on Tuesday night. erstwhile Minister for Defence Andris Sprūds urged the military to be more alert during manoeuvres, covering airspace, information and cyberspace.

Russian threats

– Russian and Belarus military exercises Zapad 2025 are planned exercises. We are talking about continuing military cooperation and practicing interactions between 2 strategical allies – said the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Doskov. Requested to comment on the words of Donald Tusk, who called the maneuvers Zapad "aggressive" and "simulating attack" on the slide, Kremlin spokesperson explained, quoted on Thursday by Interfax agency that "none of these actions are directed against any 3rd country".

– These exercises are considered offensive. This started the war in Ukraine, but besides the aggression on Georgia. The Polish army is ready. We have more than 30,000 soldiers on standby at the border, but besides in another parts of Poland. – says Vice-President of the MON Cezary Tomczyk. Poland blows for safety. Military experts believe it's the right thing to do. – Closing the border with Belarus shows that we are not even afraid of hard decisions – says reserve colonel Maciej Matysiak.