State Border Guard Service on Zapad-25 drills: No large concentration of Russian troops observed in Belarus

Ukraine is currently not observing a large presence of Russian troops in Belarus, with the contingent deployed for the Zapad-2025 exercises smaller than, for example, in 2023, when Russia kept around 10,000-12,000 troops on the territory of its satellite state.

Source: Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, on air with the 24/7 national joint newscast

Quote: "We are not observing a large number of Russian forces in Belarus at present. Of course, the terrorist state has sent some of its units, personnel and equipment there for these exercises, but the numbers are significantly smaller than in 2023, when Russia stationed around 10,000-12,000 troops in Belarus."

Details: Demchenko said that the Border Guard Service continues to monitor developments in Belarus and strengthen its defences along the border.

Asked whether the situation in Belarus could change very quickly, Demchenko noted that moving a large number of Russian troops into the country takes time, and intelligence would detect it.

He also stressed that the Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 drills are attracting the attention not only of Ukraine but also of European countries.

"I can reassure you: as of now – and the same was true yesterday – we are not observing any activity towards our border. Fortunately, no strike group had been formed beforehand that would already be prepared to act towards the Ukrainian border. But of course, we must not relax and should closely monitor how these exercises unfold, because provocations or information warfare cannot be ruled out," Demchenko summed up.

Background:

• Strategic exercises Zapad-2025 began in Belarus on 12 September, during which Belarusian and Russian troops are practising actions to "repel possible aggression" and improve interoperability.
• Poland decided to fully close its border with Belarus from the evening of 11 September due to the Zapad-2025 drills, a decision taken even before the incident with Russian drones falling on Polish territory.
• Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Poland’s move a "confrontational step" aimed at "justifying a policy of further escalating tensions in central Europe", urging Warsaw to "consider the consequences of such destructive steps and to reconsider its decision as soon as possible".
• On 11 September, Latvia’s parliament voted to completely close the country’s borders with Russia and Belarus during the Zapad-2025 exercises.
• In addition, Poland and Latvia imposed restrictions on flights over parts of their territory near the Belarusian border.

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