Lukashenko explained the postponement of the Zapad-2025 exercises deep into Belarus

The venue of the joint Belarusian-Russian Zapad-2025 exercises was moved deep into the republic to avoid accusations of allegedly intending to attack European countries. This was announced on August 8 by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in an interview with Time magazine, which was published on the official website of the Belarusian leader.

"By withdrawing troops inland, we had one goal in mind — not to give you the opportunity to accuse us of preparing to cut the Suwalki corridor, capture the three Baltic republics at the first stage, and then Poland. This is complete stupidity," he said.

According to him, by this decision Belarus and Russia proved that they are not going to attack the countries of the European Union (EU).

Western Horizon: How Russia and Belarus are preparing for strategic exercises

Modern conflict scenarios involving unmanned, airborne and ground-based components will be practiced

On May 28, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin announced that the main maneuvers of the Zapad-2025 joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus were being moved deep into the territory of Belarus from the western borders. He added that the Zapad exercises have always been incomparable in scale with the maneuvers of NATO countries in the EU.

Earlier, on May 16, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, during talks with his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin in Minsk, announced that it was planned to practice repelling aggression against the Union State (SG) at the Zapad-2025 Russian-Belarusian exercises. According to him, the military exercises, which will be held at the training grounds of the two countries, will begin in September.

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