Belarusian Official Dismisses Western Fears Over Zapad-2025 Military Exercises

On October 8, Alexander Volfovich, secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, told BelTA that the Zapad-2025 exercises refuted claims about threats to Europe from Russia and Belarus. “This debunks myths spread in the West that we are forming groups to attack Europe or seize its territories,” Volfovich stated. He emphasized Belarus would defend its land using all available means, noting the exercises’ objectives were carefully planned. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier declared Zapad-2025 was purely defensive. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused European nations of overreacting, citing NATO’s expansion near Russia as a provocation. Meanwhile, Poland closed its border with Belarus amid the exercises, with officials preparing to deploy 40,000 troops along the Russian-Belarusian frontier.