Belarus conducts military exercises near NATO borders

Belarus has begun four-day military exercises near its borders with Poland and Lithuania, in an area sensitive to NATO security. Mechanized and tank battalions are taking part in the maneuvers, training to protect the border, counter sabotage and defend against attacks involving drones and light aircraft.

The exercises are being held, among other locations, at the Hoża, Brzeski and Różański training grounds, near the borders with Lithuania and Poland. Some of these facilities are located just 15 and 60 kilometers from the Polish border, respectively.

The significance of the maneuvers is heightened by their proximity to the Suwałki Corridor, the approximately 104-kilometer strip linking the Baltic states to the rest of NATO and separating Belarus from Russia’s Kaliningrad region. Minsk says the exercises are “purely defensive” in nature and do not exceed the thresholds requiring international notification, but it has not disclosed the exact number of participants.

The maneuvers are part of a broader program to assess the readiness of Belarusian forces. A close ally of Russia, Belarus has allowed Russian troops to use its territory for operations against Ukraine, while Kyiv accuses Moscow of using relay stations in Belarus to control drones.