Poland’s “Iron Defender-25” drills officially began on September 2, coinciding with early mobilization of troops in Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, as NATO scales up its response to Russian-Belarus Zapad 2025 military exercises.
Poland’s military drills cancelled Baltic routine exercises
General Wieslaw Kukuła, Chief of the General Staff, emphasized that Iron Defender-25 is a direct response to Russian-Belarus Zapad 2025. He stated, “These drills are not merely a show of force but a clear signal aimed at countering potential aggression from the eastern threat.”
NATO drills unprecedented in scope
Officially, the drills are not “aimed at any specific country,” but the Polish military is preparing for potential aggression from Russia and Belarus. The stress on cyber defense and joint air-ground command is significant.
German and Baltic drills coincide with Zapad
Germans are conducting Quadriga-2025 exercises through the end of September, creating a significant display of force coinciding with Zapad 2025. The exercises involve over 8,000 military personnel and are explicitly designed to counter Russian-Belarusian drills.
