MINSK, 15 September (BelTA) – Belarus takes a complex of measures to enable the transparency of the Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2025, BelTA learned from Chief of the International Military Cooperation Department, Aide for International Military Cooperation to the Belarusian Defense Minister Valery Revenko after the final play held within the framework of the Zapad 2025 exercise in the 227th combined-arms training area.
Valery Revenko said: “Belarus takes a complex of measures to enable the transparency of the joint strategic army exercise Zapad 2025. Back in December 2024 all the 56 OSCE states were notified about the organization of the largest military activity in the territory of the Republic of Belarus in September 2025. Parameters of the exercise were relayed. As expected, the West became hysterical and presented unwarranted accusations about the allegedly aggressive nature of this exercise and preparations for an armed conflict. Why expected? Because it is in compliance with the policy of the West, in compliance with efforts to inflate tensions.”
Since it is necessary to reduce tensions, to get the message about the peaceful nature of the Republic of Belarus’ approaches across to the entire international community, in April 2025 the concept of the exercise was reworked: the amount of personnel, weapons, and military hardware was practically halved, all the events were relocated deep into the country’s territory. “After that (in our opinion, counterproductively and illogically) the Republic of Poland stated the intention to hold the Iron Defender 2025 exercise in its territory with the number of participants of up to 30,000 people, which is several times higher than the declared number of people taking part in the military exercise in the territory of our country,” the defense minister aide stressed.
In order to reduce tensions, measures have also been taken to inform the western community and the leadership of neighboring states about the importance of dialogue. “42 days before the exercise was due to begin, via the OSCE communication network information was sent about parameters of the upcoming exercise, about the number of participants (6,850 people) and invitations were sent for all the 56 OSCE states to participate in the observation of this event,” Valery Revenko noted.
He pointed out that representatives of about 23 states, including three representatives of NATO member states, representatives of the military diplomatic corps, observed the episode of the exercise on 15 September. “A representative of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Center is also present during the exercise. We’ve given him an opportunity to visit all the army units taking part in the exercise, all the military training areas, and also to talk to military personnel from the Republic of Belarus and from the Russian Federation. Thus, in our opinion, this exercise is unprecedentedly open. We present no threat to anyone. We are in favor of building a constructive dialogue,” the defense minister aide concluded.
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