Russia is staging a war game on NATO's doorstep after its drones were shot down over Poland. Meanwhile, Moscow and its key ally, Belarus, launched joint military exercises "Zapad 2025," which translates to West 2025, at a time when fears of a potential clash between the superpowers are greater than ever.
"Through strategic maneuvers, joint, regional and troop training and control in combating aggression against the Common State, various options for joint actions in neutralizing threats and stabilizing the situation on the border are planned, " the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
In response, Poland has sent about 40,000 soldiers to the border with Belarus and Russia. "We have been preparing for the Zapad 2025 maneuvers for a long time," confirmed Poland's deputy defense minister.
He adds that his army and some NATO forces have conducted exercises to respond to any possible aggression. Another measure taken is the closure of the border with Belarus. But Russia has demanded that Poland reopen it, while warning of consequences for this action.
The border closure also came after dozens of drones were shot down by the Warsaw military along with NATO allied forces.
Poland believes it was a deliberate attack to test the powerful alliance's response, but US President Donald Trump doesn't think so:
"It may have been a mistake. But, regardless, I'm not happy with anything that has to do with this whole situation. I hope it will end."
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says everything was intentional.
"We too would like the drone attack on Poland to have been a mistake. But it is not so and we know this well," he wrote in a post on the social network X, in response to Trump's statement.
Regarding the attack, France sent a note of protest and relocated 3 warplanes to Poland.