Demchenko on Zapad-2025 exercises: No formation of military groups observed in Belarus

Spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service Andrii Demchenko stated this on a television broadcast, Ukrinform reports.

“Attention is now focused on the joint Belarusian-Russian exercises. The active phase will last from September 12 to 16, but as of now, we are not recording any strike group being formed in the direction of our border. We aren`t observing that Russia currently has a large grouping on the territory of Belarus. Not even those they would plan to involve in these joint exercises. The majority of participants in the exercises will be Belarusian units. Russia has sent certain of its units, personnel, and armored vehicles to Belarus, but their number is small,” he said.

Demchenko recalled that in 2023, Russia kept 10–12 thousand of its personnel on the border in Belarus. At the same time, according to the State Border Guard Service, there are currently significantly fewer Russian troops in Belarus.

The State Border Guard Service Spokesperson added that fortifications are being built on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border and mining is being carried out in these sectors, since Belarus continues to support the aggressor state.

As reported by Ukrinform, the Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 exercises will take place in mid-September. More than 13,000 servicemen will take part in the maneuvers.

During the Zapad-2021 maneuvers, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

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