No large Russian troop presence observed in Belarus for Zapad-2025 exercises – SBGS spox
State Border Guard Service Spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said this during a televised broadcast, Ukrinform reports.
“We are not observing a large Russian force on Belarusian territory at the moment. The terrorist state has sent units, personnel, and equipment for these exercises, but their numbers are significantly lower than even in 2023, when Russia had approximately 10–12 thousand troops in Belarus,” he said.
Demchenko noted that relocating a large number of forces and equipment from Russia to Belarus takes time, during which intelligence services would be able to detect the movement.
“Currently, public attention, not just in Ukraine, but across Europe, is focused on these joint exercises, whose active phase began today. However, I can reassure: we are not seeing any activity toward our border at present (the situation was the same yesterday). Fortunately, no strike group has been formed that would be ready to act toward the Ukrainian border. That said, there’s no reason to relax,” he added.
The spokesperson also warned that provocations and information operations should not be ruled out amid the exercises.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, the Russia-Belarus Zapad-2025 exercises will take place in mid-September, involving more than 13,000 servicemen.
During the Zapad-2021 exercises, Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
