From 12 to 16 September 2025, Russia and Belarus conducted the joint Zapad 2025 military exercise across Belarusian territory and parts of western Russia. Held amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine and NATO’s strengthened eastern borders, this iteration emphasized advanced strike systems over sheer numbers, featuring Zircon, Kinzhal, Onyx, Iskander, and Oreshnik missiles, alongside drones and electronic warfare capabilities.
Belarus reported around 13,000 troops participated, supplemented by Tu-160 strategic bombers, MiG-31 interceptors, Su-34 strike aircraft, and Northern Fleet anti-submarine planes. Armored and mechanized units executed combined-arms maneuvers, while Il-76 transport aircraft supported logistics. The exercise integrated drone swarms, AI-assisted command platforms, and high-speed strike weapons to complicate NATO’s defense planning.
Zapad 2025 underscores Belarus’s integration into Russian military planning and demonstrates Moscow’s ability to field advanced systems despite the ongoing Ukraine war. The exercise highlights nuclear-capable assets, hybrid tactics, and rapid escalation scenarios, signaling Russia and Belarus’s readiness to apply pressure along NATO’s eastern flank while testing alliance resilience.
