Russia, Belarus start military drills

RUSSIA and its key ally Belarus began major joint military drills yesterday, putting Nato on edge days after Poland accused Moscow of escalating tensions by firing attack drones through its airspace.

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The “Zapad” exercises come as Russian forces grind across the sprawling front line in Ukraine and escalate aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities. Russia yesterday said it downed 221 Ukrainian drones, one of the highest tallies in the war.

The Russian defence ministry posted a video showing heavy military equipment — including armoured vehicles, helicopters and navy ships — taking part in the drills.

It said aerial reconnaissance and missile strikes on ground targets would be among the manoeuvres rehearsed.

Russia also said it had deployed ships from its Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea and the northern regions of the Arctic Ocean for the exercises.

Nato’s eastern flank members that border Russia and Belarus are on high alert over the drills, some of which will be held in Belarus's Grodno region bordering Poland and Lithuania, Minsk said. Both EU countries have ramped up security. Poland closed its border with Belarus overnight until further notice.