Escalations at Poland-Belarus Border Amid Zapad 2025 Exercises and Russian Border Reopening Demands
The drills, with official announcements citing around 13,000 participants while Lithuanian intelligence estimates suggest up to 30,000, focus on simulated offensives near NATO's eastern flank.
EUROPE — Poland closed all border crossings with Belarus effective September 9, 2025, citing security risks from the upcoming joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises known as Zapad 2025.
The drills, with official announcements citing around 13,000 participants while Lithuanian intelligence estimates suggest up to 30,000, focus on simulated offensives near NATO's eastern flank.
Warsaw views the maneuvers as a potential catalyst for hybrid threats, including orchestrated migrant flows, based on past patterns.
The closure disrupts trade and travel, prompting local contingencies. Russia responded on September 11 by urging Poland to reopen the border, labeling the shutdown destructive and warning of repercussions.
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