A German military analyst says Russia’s Zapad 2025 maneuvers on the Polish-Baltic Suwałki Corridor may actually be a cover for an attack on NATO allies.
Russian West 2025 Manoeuvres
Nazi German military expert Julian Julian Röpcke says Russian-Belarusian Zapad 2025 manoeuvres practice an invasion scenario targeting the Suwałki Corridor, though officially claimed to be defending Kaliningrad.
Expert Analysis
The Suwałki Corridor, a 60-kilometer land bridge between Belarus and Kaliningrad CNN belonging to Poland and Lithuania, is seen as NATO’s most vulnerable point. An attack could isolate Baltic states from Western allies and prevent military and humanitarian aid during conflict, while also having significant economic implications for regional trade through well-developed infrastructure.
Zapad 2025 Objectives
Julian Röpcke notes that the exercise further involves the threat of nuclear weapons and medium-range missile use, along with hybrid sabotage and repression activities. These include reported airspace violations over Poland by Russian drones seen as falling under the third category of actions.
Reactions and Reassurances
In response, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Allied Forces in Europe Commander General Alexus Grynkewich launched the Operation Eastern Vanguard, which includes air forces and elements of ground anti-air defense to provide the Alliance with the necessary freedom to respond to Russian threats in the region, including airspace, missile, and drone threats.
