Poland will close its border with Belarus overnight Thursday as defense against massive joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises scheduled for Friday.
Russian-Belarusian Military Exercises
The Polish government will close its border with Belarus on Thursday night in response to the unprecedented Russian-Belarusian military exercises set to commence on Friday. These exercises, named Zapad-2025, are particularly concerning due to their proximity to Poland’s border.
Countermeasures by NATO Allies
In response to the exercises, Poland and Lithuania have announced plans to hold their own countermeasures with the participation of NATO forces. According to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, these actions are necessary to maintain the security of Poland.
Comparing Previous Exercises
During similar exercises between Russia and Belarus in January 2022, Russian forces concentrated on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border before attacking Chernihiv and Kyiv.