Four-day military exercises involving tanks, drones and artillery are under way in Belarus near the strategically vital Suwalki Gap, as Poland shuts airports amid mounting tension along Nato’s eastern flank.
Belarus, Russia’s closest ally, has begun four days of military exercises involving tanks and drone units close to the Suwalki Gap, the narrow strip of Nato territory connecting the Baltic states to the rest of the alliance that has been described as Nato’s “weakest link.” The drills, taking place in the Brest and Grodno regions bordering Poland and Lithuania, come amid escalating tension along Nato’s eastern border, with Poland forced to briefly close two airports on the same day in response to Russian strikes on western Ukraine.
Exercises held near strategic Suwalki Gap
The Grodno region, where part of the exercises are taking place, sits directly adjacent to the Suwalki Gap – a roughly 40-mile-wide corridor wedged between the heavily militarised Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus. Were the gap to be blockaded, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia could be cut off from allied land reinforcements entirely, making the area one of Nato’s most closely watched vulnerabilities.
Footage broadcast on Belarusian state television showed columns of armoured vehicles moving into position as troops advanced on foot. According to the broadcast, tank battalions were ordered to search for and eliminate simulated enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups, while commanders also tested artillery, concealed firing positions, drone units and mobile teams designed to counter hostile unmanned aircraft.
Belarus says drills are ‘purely defensive’
General Pavel Muraveiko, chief of the Belarusian General Staff, said the exercises placed particular emphasis on improving the speed of battlefield decision-making. “We are deliberately placing emphasis on training headquarters staff, because today a great deal depends on decision-making [and] on how quickly officials work,” he said. The Minsk regime, led by President Alexander Lukashenko, has described the manoeuvres as “purely defensive.” Belarus allowed Russia to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory in 2022, and has remained closely aligned with Moscow since.
Nato allies respond with their own exercises
The Belarusian drills coincide with separate military activity elsewhere in the region. Lithuania is currently holding its own exercises across 12 municipalities, while a further multinational drill near the Belarusian border involves approximately 2,500 troops from eight countries. Poland, meanwhile, is constructing fortified positions, surveillance systems and anti-drone defences along its eastern frontier.
Nato has faced repeated instances of Russian drone activity along its eastern flank in recent days, prompting the alliance to scramble jets on several occasions over the past week, including in response to an attack on a train that reportedly targeted former UK prime minister Boris Johnson.
Polish airports briefly suspended
Poland was forced to shut down two airports and suspend flights on the day the Belarusian exercises began, after Russian strikes on western Ukraine triggered a “military operation” response. Explosions were reported near the Polish-Ukrainian border, and thousands of attack threat alerts were issued across the region. Authorities suspended operations at Lublin and Rzeszow airports due to “operations of military aviation.”
The Polish Armed Forces said the response was carried out “in connection with strikes carried out by the Russian Federation using jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles on the western territory of Ukraine,” adding that “ground-based air defense systems and radar reconnaissance systems have reached a state of readiness.” The military said the measures were intended to secure Polish airspace, “especially in areas adjacent to threatened regions.” Both airports have since reopened and resumed normal operations following the temporary closure.
