Poland Deploys 40,000 Troops to Russia, Belarus Borders Amid Zapad-2025 Exercises

Poland has deployed approximately 40,000 troops to its eastern border in response to the upcoming Zapad-2025 joint military exercises conducted by Russia and Belarus near Poland and Lithuania. These drills, set to run from September 12 to 16, are seen by Polish officials as offensive maneuvers potentially rehearsing an assault on the strategically critical Suwałki Gap, a vulnerable point separating Belarus from Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. The deployment follows a recent incursion of nineteen Russian drones into Polish airspace, prompting Poland to close its border with Belarus and invoke NATO’s Article 4 for emergency consultations. NATO allies including Germany and France are bolstering their presence and air policing in the region, with France sending Rafale fighter jets and Germany intensifying engagement along NATO's eastern border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered to share expertise on countering Russian aerial attacks and called for a unified European air defense network in response to escalating Russian provocations. Poland and NATO remain on high alert amid fears the exercises could mask aggressive actions, with the recent drone intrusion marking the most serious violation of NATO airspace since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.