The drills are a response to the “West’s aggressive foreign policy towards Belarus” and to “Ukrainian provocation,” said Vladimir Kupriyanyuk, the deputy head of the general staff of the Belarus armed forces, at a Friday press briefing.
Belarus has been one of Russia’s closest allies following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, providing logistical support and air bases but not troops to join the fighting.
The exercises kick off on the eve of the July 9-11 NATO summit in Washington. The gathering will focus on aid to Ukraine, defense production and defense budget targets.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said last week that Poland and Lithuania will raise the issue of border protection at the summit. “There is a hybrid war ongoing on the Poland-Belarus border, as well as on the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian borders,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
Belarus on July 4 became the 10th member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a grouping promoted by Beijing and Moscow as a counterweight to Western influence. Iran, Pakistan and India are also members.
Belarus and Russia have previously practiced deploying nuclear weapons and have held military drills together.
