Russian and Belarusian surface-to-air missile models simulated collectively repelling a NATO air assault as a part of the Zapad 2025 joint strategic drills, the Russian Defence Ministry reported, with quite a lot of studies indicating that S-400 lengthy vary air defence methods have been concerned. “In the course of the Russia-Belarus Zapad 2025 joint strategic drills, anti-aircraft missile models of the Moscow navy district repelled an air assault by a simulated enemy,” the ministry studies, including that over 40 targets simulating enemy drones have been destroyed utilizing 9K38 Igla man-portable missile methods. The Igla system in query has been extensively examined within the Ukrainian theatre, with older variants of the system in Ukrainian service having confirmed able to taking pictures down excessive worth Russian fighter plane such because the Su-34. Zapad 2025drills started on September 12, and are unfold throughout each international locations in addition to within the waters of the Baltic and Barents seas.
Positioned on the frontlines with a number of NATO member states, Belarus is Russia’s solely strategic associate in Europe, and is heavy reliant on Russian help within the face of escalating navy strain from a number of Western international locations. The testing of joint air defence capabilities carefully follows america Army’s deployment of Apache assault helicopters to take part in workout routines close to Belarus’ borders, and has occurred lower than 4 months after the German Army on Could 22 inaugurated the forty fifth Armoured Brigade stationed in Vilnius, Lithuania, offering an elite ahead deployed mechanised warfare functionality on the territory of the previous USSR simply 150 kilometres from the Belarusian capital Minsk. Within the face of increasing navy strain, Russia and Belarus entered right into a nuclear sharing settlement in 2023, which offers Belarusian forces with wartime entry to Russian nuclear weapons deployed on its territory. This mirrors the sharing agreements the Untied States maintains with Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.
Belarus has seen its air defence capabilities considerably enhanced with the supply of S-400 lengthy vary methods from Russia in 2022, after which Belarusian and Russian S-400s having held joint workout routines in Could 2022. The asset’s capabilities towards stealth plane are notably valued as NATO members proceed to increase deployments of F-35 fighters to Japanese Europe, with Poland set to subject F-35s by the tip of the last decade and seeking to purchase a nuclear strike functionality for these belongings as a part of a brand new nuclear sharing settlement with america. These procurements have been complemented by orders for Su-30SM2 fighter plane, in addition to Mi-35 assault helicopters which may present an efficient defence towards drones and different low pace targets. With Russia having outfitted its personal fighters with new R-37 missiles carrying nuclear warheads, it has been speculated that Belarusian Su-30s might additionally combine nuclear-armed air-to-air missiles to additional strengthen its air defences.
