Belarus announced that its forces practiced deploying Russia’s Oreshnik missile system during joint military exercises with Moscow, marking the first known training with the weapon system outside Russia.
The Oreshnik is a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile, first used operationally against Ukraine on 21 November 2024, in a strike on the missile production facility in the city of Dnipro. It flies at hypersonic speeds around 10-11 Mach and carries multiple independently targetable warheads, although the warheads in this attack were reportedly dummy and non-explosive, likely serving as a political signal rather than causing massive destruction.
Pavel Muraveyko, Chief of General Staff and First Deputy Defense Minister of Belarus, told the Belarusian state agency BELTA that forces “worked out all assigned tasks” during the Zapad 2025 exercises, according to Evropeyska Pravda.
“Among the notable activities, I can highlight the planning and consideration of non-strategic nuclear weapons use, assessment and deployment of the mobile rocket complex ‘Oreshnik’. We extensively used drones in various configurations,” Muraveyko said.
The Belarusian official emphasized that cooperation with Russians, who possess “fresh combat experience,” allows the Belarusian army to receive “the most modern, most advanced information.”
Russia deployed the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile only once in combat against Ukraine, striking Dnipro in November 2024. Shortly after that attack, self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that Moscow would transfer such systems to Belarus.
The Russian-Belarusian Zapad exercises began at the end of last week, running from 12-16 September across territories in Russia and Belarus, as well as in the Baltic and Barents seas, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The military drills prompted neighboring countries to take security measures. Poland completely closed its border with Belarus on the evening of 11 September, with Warsaw noting that the exercises’ conclusion would not automatically mean border reopening. Latvia’s Seim voted to fully close borders with both Russia and Belarus during the maneuvers.
Finland warned that Russia’s military exercises could have “unexpected turns.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on 15 September that the State Protection Service neutralized a drone flying above Warsaw’s government quarter. The incident ended with the detention of two Belarusian citizens, and police are now investigating.
The Warsaw incident occurred on the same day Russian and Belarusian forces continued their Zapad-2025 joint military exercises. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that the drills appeared to integrate tactical lessons from Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. Belarus under dictator Aliaksandr Lukashenka has been Russia’s ally amid Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“A short while ago, the State Protection Service neutralized a drone operating over government buildings (Parkowa) and Belweder. Two Belarusian citizens were detained. The police are investigating the circumstances of the incident.”
Drone spotted over presidential residence
Associated Press reported that the aircraft was detected near Belweder Castle, the official residence of Poland’s president. Colonel Boguslaw Piorkowski of the State Protection Service confirmed that two of his personnel stationed at Belweder spotted the drone above the compound and acted quickly. The operators were detained shortly afterward.
Piorkowski told AP that the device was not shot down but landed once the suspected operators were apprehended. The exact type of drone and the means of neutralization have not been disclosed.
Officials warn against hasty conclusions
Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Poland’s minister of development funds and regional policy, told TVN 24 that “the impression is that this is not something that flew in” from abroad but rather launched within Poland. She urged against rushing to conclusions or connecting the incident to Russian drone incursions that took place last week.
Rising tensions after Russian drone incursions and Belarusian spy activity in Poland
Poland has been on high alert after about 25 Russian drones crossed into its airspace from Belarus last week. European officials described those incursions as deliberate provocations. NATO scrambled fighter jets to intercept and destroy the aircraft.
Militarnyinoted that on 9 September, Polish authorities detained a Belarusian agent and decided to expel a Belarusian diplomat who supported hostile activities against Poland. That arrest was part of a wider operation with Romanian and Czech services targeting a Belarusian intelligence network active in Europe. The outlet noted that it is possible agents linked to that network were also involved in launching the Warsaw drone.
The lifting of US sanctions on the Belarusian airline Belavia could become a new channel of support for Russian aviation. This would allow not only the repair of its own fleet of Boeing and Embraer aircraft but also the partial supply of spare parts to Russia, which has been suffering from a component shortage for several years, military expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi explains, according to Ukrainske Radio.
Earlier, US Deputy Special Representative for Ukraine John Cole stated that Washington had lifted sanctions on Belavia airline. This took place during a meeting with the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Belta reports. With this step, US President Donald Trump’s administration plans to restart its relations with the country, which has been helping Russia wage the war against Ukraine.
At the same time, there is still no official information on the lifting of sanctions, despite reports in Belarusian media; no such decisions have been published on the US Treasury website.
US sanctions: risks for aviation safety
If restrictions were fully lifted, Belarus would be able to actively acquire spare parts for its six Boeing aircraft and supply some components to Russian carriers.
“The key issue here is not so much the legal aspect as the importance of access to spare parts,” emphasized Khrapchynskyi.
Russia and Belarus searching for donor aircraft
“At this stage, Russia and Belarus are forced to buy broken aircraft all over the world in order to use them as donors. Even in Russian legislation, they tried to include the possibility of purchasing non-original spare parts for aircraft,” the expert noted.
According to him, it is also important to understand whether the potential lifting of sanctions will affect not only Belavia but also its maintenance company, Belavia Technics, which could obtain a certificate to service aircraft.
European restrictions and possible loopholes for Russia
Despite a potential US decision, European sanctions remain in force. They prohibit Belavia from flying to Europe and from servicing Western Boeing aircraft.
“If the sanctions are lifted, where will Belavia actually be able to fly? If this is only about spare parts, won’t it simply become a gateway for the Russian fleet to acquire components? And how will the world react to this — will it turn a blind eye, or will someone monitor it?” Khrapchynskyi said.
He added that a possible partial lifting of sanctions could include restrictions: spare parts would be issued only for Belavia’s six aircraft to prevent mass deliveries to Russia.
American military officers attended the Russian-Belarusian joint military exercise West-2025 in Belarus on 15 September, where they were personally met by Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin, Reuters reported.
Khrenin called the visit of the American military a “surprise” and made an unusually open offer to the officers.
“We will show whatever is of interest for you. Whatever you want. You can go there and see, talk to people,” the minister told the American officers, according to Reuters.
The Belarusian Defense Ministry released video footage showing two uniformed US officers thanking Khrenin for the invitation and shaking his hand. The American representatives declined to speak with reporters.
According to Reuters, the presence of American officers represents the latest sign of warming relations between Washington and Minsk. The Americans were among representatives from 23 countries observing the exercises, including two other NATO member states – Türkiye and Hungary.
The West-2025 exercise began on 12 September at training grounds in both Russia and Belarus, occurring during heightened tensions with NATO. The maneuvers started two days after Poland shot down Russian drones that had crossed into its airspace.
The warming of US-Belarus relations follows recent diplomatic contacts. Trump representative John Coale visited Minsk last week for talks with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Following those negotiations, Lukashenko agreed to release 52 prisoners from jails, including journalists and political opponents.
In exchange, the United States announced sanctions relief for Belarus’s national airline Belavia, allowing it to service and purchase components for its fleet, which includes Boeing aircraft.
According to Coale, Trump wants to reopen the US embassy in Belarus, normalize ties, and revive the economic and trade relationship. Trump has been cultivating closer ties with Lukashenko, who regularly holds talks with Putin, as part of efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine. Last week, Trump sent Lukashenko a hand-signed letter through Coale.
The West-2025 exercises are scheduled to run from 12-16 September 2025, in Belarus. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier warned of possible threats from Belarusian territory under cover of summer military exercises. Belarus subsequently announced it would move the main maneuvers deeper into the country to “reduce tensions.”
Moscow bares its teeth on the NATO border, Defense Express reports. In the Belarusian city of Grodno, near the Gozhsky training ground, a new Russian BTR-22 armored personnel carrier was spotted. It is involved in the joint Russia-Belarus exercises Zapad-2025.
The BTR-22 is equipped with a 30-mm 2A72 autocannon (330 rounds/min), a 7.62-mm PKTM machine gun, and can integrate a remotely controlled combat module. It reaches a maximum speed of 100 km/h, can cross water obstacles, weighs 20 tons, and is powered by a 330-hp engine.
Deliberate “leak” of photos
According to the experts, the vehicle’s geolocation on Kirova Street was identified by the Telegram channel Military Journal. They suggest the BTR-22 photo may have been deliberately released by Russia, signaling strength to Poland, alongside related events:
incursions of Russian Gerbera drones into Polish airspace;
deployment of two Iskander missile launchers in Kaliningrad Oblast.
“Budget Boomerang”
The BTR-22 was first unveiled at the Army-2023 forum. Its unofficial nickname is “Budget Boomerang”, as it is a simplified modification of the BTR-82A. Even Russian sources admitted the vehicle lags 20 years behind modern standards, making it essentially a failed attempt to “reimagine” the old BTR-87 design.
Belarusian contrast
Experts note that in 2025, Belarus finally adopted its own Volat V-2 APC after a 15-year delay. The Russian BTR-22’s appearance in Belarus is seen more as a political propaganda signal than a real enhancement of allied combat capabilities.
Russia and Belarus have begun their joint military drills Zapad-2025, simulating missile attacks and nuclear scenarios. Analysts warn the exercises serve as both a rehearsal for war and a signal to NATO, echoing Soviet-era shows of force.
Missile launches and nuclear decision-making
Zapad-2025 started on 12 September and is scheduled to last until 16 September on Belarusian and Russian territory. One of the declared goals is to conduct missile launches, including tests of the Oreshnik system— a missile that Putin claims to be “unstoppable.”
The official theme is framed as the “application of groupings of troops in the interests of ensuring the military security of the Union State,” — Putin’s long-stalled project to absorb Belarus into a single country.
But beyond the formal language, observers stress that the drills are designed to project that Russia remains powerful despite more than three years of heavy losses in Ukraine, estimated at over 1 million casualties.
Satellite images from August 2025 show newly built storage facilities with fortifications, three equipment hangars, and foundations for additional buildings, including troop housing. Journalists also identified three more construction sites nearby, linked by roads. Photo: Skhemy/ RFE/RL
This year’s exercise will also simulate decision-making around the use of nuclear weapons and the deployment of nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles that Moscow has promised to transfer to Minsk.
While Russia has not disclosed exact numbers, Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed last December that “several dozen” tactical nuclear weapons were already on Belarusian soil.
According to the Chief of the General Staff of Belarus, the Zapad-2025 exercises on Belarusian territory will be held at three training grounds located in the Vitebsk, Minsk, and Hrodna regions.
Investigators from Skhemy tracked the buildup of Russian military equipment and the deployment of additional infrastructure in these areas, allowing them to localize the sites of the upcoming drills.
While Belarusian authorities have not officially disclosed the exact locations, Lukashenka confirmed that Zapad-2025 will take place at training grounds near the city of Barysaw.
Training grounds near the city of Barysaw, where Zapad-2025 will take place, photo: Skhemy/ RFE/RL
“Poland has been preparing for the Zapad manoeuvres for many months,” Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk told Polsat News.
A map of Belarusian military bases built up in the run-up to the Zapad military exercises. Screenshot from RFE/RL
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned that “very aggressive scenarios” will be practiced, recalling that earlier Zapad exercises preceded Russia’s invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.
NATO radars and allied aircraft are on high alert, with Lithuania estimating that around 30,000 Russian and Belarusian troops will take part.
Signal to NATO and Ukraine
While Moscow insists the drills are defensive, Western analysts see Zapad as both a rehearsal for potential offensives and a political message. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the exercise could be “a cover” for further aggression against Ukraine’s western neighbors.
Even if smaller in scale than Zapad-2021, this year’s drills underscore Russia’s reliance on Belarus as a forward base, its willingness to rattle NATO with nuclear signalling, and its long-standing tradition of using military theatre — and now network warfare simulations — as geopolitical intimidation.
“Poland has been preparing for the Zapad manoeuvres for many months,” Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk told Polsat News.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned that “very aggressive scenarios” will be practiced, recalling that earlier Zapad exercises preceded Russia’s invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.
NATO radars and allied aircraft are on high alert, and Lithuania estimates that around 30,000 Russian and Belarusian troops will participate.
Historical context of Zapad
The Zapad (“West”) exercises date back to the Soviet era of the 1970s, when they were first designed to showcase nuclear strike capabilities and consolidate the unity of the Warsaw Pact.
The Veyshnoria precedent and hybrid “texting technologies”
The exercises have often included invented scenarios aimed at signalling to NATO and shaping perceptions abroad.
In Zapad-2017, Russia and Belarus staged combat against the fictional state of Veyshnoria— a “hostile” territory carved out of western Belarus, close to NATO borders. Analysts saw the scenario as a thinly veiled rehearsal for operations against Lithuania, Poland, or Ukraine, masked under the guise of fighting separatism.
A map of the fictional Veyshnoria state and hypothetical invasion scenarios used during Zapad-2017 games. Image: open source
Zapad-2025 builds on this legacy, introducing new layers of digital and communications warfare.
The discovery this summer of Russian drones using Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards reveals how Moscow tests invasion routes before using them. Since late 2023, Russia has equipped its Shahed attack drones with cellular modems—first Ukrainian SIM cards, then expanding to NATO countries.
In July, investigators found Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards in Russian drone wreckage shot down over Ukraine. Drones use cellular towers to triangulate navigation and transmit real-time targeting data while appearing as domestic mobile traffic.
Two months later, on September 9-10—just two days before Zapad-2025 began—Russian drones using Polish SIM cards violated Polish airspace. NATO fighters shot down at least four of 19 drones that crossed into Poland during Russia’s massive 415-drone attack on Ukraine.
Just as Veyshnoria was a fictional enemy created to test ground scenarios, Russia’s hijacking of local telecom networks signals Moscow’s intent to blend conventional and hybrid tactics in future conflict.
The release came as Aleksandr Lukashenko, the country’s authoritarian leader and an ally of President Vladimir Putin of Russia, seeks to normalize ties with the Trump administration.
The United States has lifted sanctions on the state-owned airline Belavia, Belarusian state media reported on 11 September. The announcement was attributed to John Cole, deputy special representative of the US president for Ukraine, during a meeting with Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk.
Sanctions against Belavia were first imposed by Washington over Belarus’s human rights abuses and its close alignment with Moscow. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said he was prepared to ease measures if Minsk moved toward releasing political prisoners.
Cole said the decision had been ordered by Trump and approved by relevant US agencies. He was quoted as saying Washington wants to normalize relations with Belarus and that lifting sanctions is “only the beginning.”
The same day, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said 52 former prisoners crossed into Lithuania from Belarus, including six Lithuanians and citizens of several EU states.
He thanked the US and Trump for their role, but stressed that more than 1,000 political prisoners remain jailed in Belarus.
Cole also delivered a personal gift from Trump – cufflinks with the White House emblem. The outreach follows Trump’s August call with Lukashenko, which he described as a “great conversation” ahead of meeting Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Belarus has remained a key ally of Moscow throughout Russia’s war against Ukraine, allowing Russian forces to use its territory for troop deployments and missile strikes, while avoiding direct involvement of its own army in frontline combat.
A Russian drone landed on the grounds of a Polish territorial defense base near Warsaw on 10 September, RMF24 reports. The incident occurred during a wave of at least 19 drones, flying in from Belarus and Ukraine, that violated Polish airspace overnight. No injuries or damage were reported. 16 16 UAVs were later recovered across Poland
This comes as a major Russian drone and missile assault on Ukraine overnight on 10 September also triggered a significant UAV incursion into NATO member Poland. More than a dozen Russian drones violated Polish airspace; some were intercepted by NATO aircraft.
Russian drone crash at Polish base
RMF24 confirmed that one of the drones fell on the territory of a Polish Territorial Defense Forces unit in Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą, located in Grójec County, not far from Warsaw. The drone was an unarmed Gerbera-type UAV and did not cause any structural damage, according to the report. This is the first confirmed case of a Russian drone landing within a military facility in Poland, a NATO member state.
During its daily attacks on Ukraine, Russia employs Iranian-designed Shahed explosive drones, which it rebrands as Geran. To overwhelm air defenses, it also launches decoy drones such as the Gerbera, which mimic the appearance and flight profile of Shaheds. While Shaheds can carry up to 90 kg of explosives, Gerberas are typically unarmed, though they are capable of transporting several kilograms of payload. The drones recovered in Poland appear to be Gerberas rather than Shaheds.
Map showing confirmed crash sites of Russian drones and missile fragments across eastern and central Poland, including 19 documented airspace violations during the 10 September 2025 incursion. Prime Minister Tusk stated that drones posing direct threats were intercepted by Polish and allied aircraft. Map: / Adam Ziemienowicz / PAP
16 drones found across Poland in one night
Polish authorities confirmed 19 Russian drones violated airspace on 10 September, with 16 later found on Polish territory. Most of them came down in rural or uninhabited areas across multiple voivodeships, including Lublin, Świętokrzyskie, and Warmia-Masuria. Some damaged farm buildings or landed near homes, but no casualties were reported.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk told the Sejm that 19 airspace violations were registered during the night. He emphasized that, for the first time, the attack originated not from Ukrainian airspace but from Belarus.
During the attack, Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels reported Russian drone movements to Poland via both Ukraine and Belarus, and later stated that some Russian drones returned from Poland to Ukraine.
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NATO jets shoot down Russian drones in Poland—but NATO believes it’s not an attack
Investigations continue at crash sites
In Cześniki, near Zamość, a drone was shot down by Polish air defense forces. Prosecutors confirmed that “Cyrillic” inscriptions were found on one of the drone’s components. Nearby, 30 drone fragments were collected, including parts made from foam-like materials and plywood.
Photographs of the crashed drones published by Polish media show not just Cyrillic script, but specifically Russian Cyrillic—featuring the Russian-only letter “Ы” in serial numbers marked on the drone tails.
Elsewhere, another drone landed on a residential home in Wyryki Wola in Lublin Voivodeship, damaging the roof and a car. No injuries occurred, as the elderly couple living there were tending to animals outside at the time, RMF24 says.
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Russian drone crashes into residential building in Poland
A member of the Polish Army inspecting a damaged house, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine and some were shot down by NATO fighter jets, in Wyryki, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland, on Wednesday.
In his 10 September evening address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a united, coordinated air defense strategy to protect Europe’s skies, warning that Russia’s escalating drone warfare now targets not only Ukraine but NATO territory itself.
This came as a Russian drone incursion into Poland occurred overnight on 10 September, during a massive UAV and missile assault on Ukraine. Over a dozen Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Unlike past incidents—when NATO forces allowed drones to crash or return—this marked the first confirmed shootdown of Russian drones on NATO territory by allied aircraft.
Ukraine proposes joint air defense as Russia tests NATO skies
Zelenskyy said more than 400 Russian drones—mostly Shahed explosive UAVs—and over 40 missiles struck Ukraine the previous night. Most were intercepted, but damage was still inflicted across multiple oblasts, including hits on residential homes and infrastructure.
According to him, Ukrainian forces began tracking drone movements from 1 a.m. on 10 September, as they crossed into Polish airspace from both Ukrainian and Belarusian directions.
“This movement was not an accident or a mistake – it was deliberate,” he said. “Almost two dozen drones entered Poland, and it seems that less than half of the total number came from the Ukrainian side,” he added, implying that the rest flew in from Belarus, Russia’s ally.
Calling it a “calculated Russian activity,” Zelenskyy warned that the incursion was designed to probe allied red lines:
“The Russians are testing the limits of what is possible. They are testing reactions. They are watching closely how NATO armed forces act.”
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NATO’s boiled frog moment: 19 drones, zero consequences
Kyiv offers tech, training, and intelligence to shield Europe
Zelenskyy said Ukraine had offered Poland support in responding to the drone breach.
“We are ready to assist with technology, crew training, and the necessary intelligence.” He stressed that only united European forces can offer real protection. “Ukraine proposes to defend airspace in a coordinated, thoughtful and joint manner. We have presented to our partners how this can be achieved.”
He stated that the proposal includes clear mechanisms to stop Russia’s escalation and prevent the war from expanding.
“The details are clear – how to prevent the war from expanding and how to stop Russia’s escalatory steps.”
He also announced upcoming defense meetings between Ukrainian and Polish defense officials.
“I instructed our military to present all the experience we have in countering drones,” Zelenskyy said.
Kremlin uses Belarus, drones, and disinfo to destabilize
Zelenskyy said Russia’s joint drills with Belarus, Zapad 2025, starting on 12 September, could be linked to this latest escalation.
“Joint Russian–Belarusian exercises have now begun on Belarusian territory. And this may well be part of their ‘training plan’, so to speak.”
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NATO jets shoot down Russian drones in Poland—but NATO believes it’s not an attack
He added that Moscow was simultaneously conducting a disinformation campaign aimed at sowing division between Poland and Ukraine.
“We see how the Russians are trying to humiliate Poland.”
He warned that the number of drones entering NATO airspace could grow if the alliance continues to respond passively.
“No one can guarantee that there won’t be hundreds of drones if there are already dozens.”
Strength is the only language Russia understands
Zelenskyy emphasized that only force will make Moscow reconsider its strategy.
“Russia only listens to strength and takes only the strong into account.”
He urged Ukraine’s allies, especially the United States, to respond with action, not just statements.
“We are very much counting on a strong response from the United States.”
Russian drones breached Polish airspace on the night of 10 September 2025, prompting a rapid NATO response. Sweden will urgently send air defense systems and fighter jets to Poland, confirmed Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in a live appearance on TVN24.
The drone incursion occurred overnight on 10 September, amid a large-scale Russian drone attack on Ukraine. Over a dozen unmanned aircraft crossed into Polish airspace. Unlike previous incidents—when NATO forces allowed drones to crash on the NATO soil or just return to Ukraine—this marked the first confirmed downing of Russian drones on NATO territory by allied aircraft.
Sweden pledges aircraft and missile systems
“This day is not just about words of support, but also concrete declarations,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said on TVN24. “I just received information from Sweden’s Minister of Defense about the urgent delivery of additional support to Poland—air defense systems and aircraft.”
He stressed that allied decisions are now backed by action.
“Every such escalation makes us more united, not divided,” he said.
According to the minister, Sweden’s military aid will arrive alongside multi-level commitments from other NATO allies, delivered “within dozens of hours.”
Russian drones in Poland
Debris from the drones was recovered, but identifying the models remains difficult.
“They often broke into very small pieces,” Kosiniak-Kamysz stated.
He linked the incident directly to Russia’s broader ambitions.
“Russia’s strategy never changes,” he said. “They may change slogans or shapes, but they always move in one direction: destroying the civilization of the West, destroying our culture, our values, and the civilization of life.”
Allies respond with weapons, troops, and coordination
Support from NATO countries has been swift and tangible. The Netherlands will deliver Patriot batteries, NASAMS systems, anti-drone equipment, and 300 soldiers. Other allies—including the Czech Republic, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Italy, and the Baltic states—have made clear commitments.
“All our allies are ready to provide support,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. “They are making concrete declarations.”
Poland triggered consultations under Article 4 of the NATO Treaty—an uncommon move, but one the minister called “a rare and serious situation.” He referenced the 2003 NATO mission near Türkiye’s border with Iraq as a precedent for this type of coordinated defense initiative.
Eyes on Zapad 2025 as drone threats rise
When asked why this particular night saw intensified Russian drone activity, Kosiniak-Kamysz pointed to the timing.
“The correlation with the Zapad exercises is evident,” he said.
Zapad 2025, the latest joint Russian-Belarusian military drills, officially begin on 12 September. Poland has already announced it will shut its border with Belarus starting midnight that day, citing security risks tied to the exercise.
Kyiv extends a helping hand to Poland. Ukraine has offered Warsaw the necessary assistance in countering Russian drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.
This came after Moscow attacked Poland on 10 September using 19 drones. Only four of them were shot down, despite NATO scrambling its most powerful aircraft, including F-16s and F-35s.
The attack occurred just as Western leaders, including the US, continue working on security guarantees for Ukraine, aimed at protecting the country from Russian strikes, including drone attacks.
Ukraine without modern aviation — but with results
Ukraine does not possess modern fighter jets, yet during the same time frame, it managed to shoot down380 out of 415 drones launched by Russia.
The question remains: how to force Russia to end the war against Ukraine and stop attacking NATO countries?
“No one can guarantee that there won’t be hundreds of drones if there are already dozens. Only joint European forces can provide real protection. We are ready to help with technology, crew training, and the necessary intelligence,” Zelenskyy stressed.
Dangerous “Zapad-2025” drills
According to Zelenskyy, joint Russian-Belarusian exercises “Zapad-2025” have begun on Belarusian territory, and the attack on Poland may be part of this training scenario.
The program of the drills reportedly includes a rehearsal of an attack on Poland and even the simulation of a nuclear strike.
Despite the attack on a NATO member state, US President Donald Trump did not announce any new sanctions against Moscow or present a clear plan to counter Russia.
“Unfortunately, as of now, Russia has not received a tough response from global leaders to what it is doing,” Zelenskyy said.
According to him, with this attack, Russia is testing the limits of what is possible and probing the West’s reaction.
“They are recording how NATO armed forces act, what they can do and what they cannot do yet,” the Ukrainian president added.
Kyiv warned Poland about the Russian drone threat before the attack occurred. On the night of 10 September, nearly two dozen Russian drones may have entered Polish airspace, although this figure is not final, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Russia launched 415 drones of various types and over 40 cruise and ballistic missiles against Ukraine. One person was killed and several were injured. Ukrainian air defenses destroyed more than 380 drones using mobile fire groups across the country. At the same time, part of the drone swarm crossed into Poland.
This incident marked the first time since Russian drones massively violated the territory of a NATO member state and prompted the country to down them with strategic aviation.
“Ukrainian forces informed the Polish side through the appropriate channels about the movement of Russian drones. Around 00:50 Kyiv time, the first crossing of the Ukrainian-Polish border by a Russian drone was recorded,” the Ukrainian president noted.
At least two drones that entered Poland used Belarusian airspace. Meanwhile, dozens of other drones moved along the Ukraine-Belarus border and in western regions of Ukraine, approaching Ukrainian and potentially Polish targets.
Ukrainian air defenses in action
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukrainian defenders destroyed more than 380 Russian drones of various types, including at least 250 Shaheds.
“The number of Russian drones that crossed into Polish territory and penetrated deeply may be higher than previously reported. We are checking,” the Ukrainian president said.
Ukrainian forces continue to analyze debris to clarify drone types. The president stressed that only joint and coordinated action with allies can ensure reliable airspace protection.
NATO and regional security
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense denied involvement in the attack.
The incident prompted Poland to appeal to NATO, which activated Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. This allows consultations regarding threats to territorial integrity and security, but does not automatically trigger a military response as Article 5 does. Polish F-16s and F-35s were scrambled to intercept drones, though most threats were neutralized by Ukrainian air defenses.
The attack happened in the midst of discussions by European and American allies on security guarantees for Ukraine.
Intelligence insights
Joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises, “Zapad-2025,” are currently underway in Belarus, with the active phase planned for 12–16 September. During these exercises, scenarios include simulated attacks on Poland and nuclear weapons deployment, UkrInform reports.
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, stated that the active phase will involve serious information pressure, accompanied by staged leaks and information provocations.
Moscow denies targeting Poland after drones enter NATO airspace. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that no targets on Polish territory were intended, responding to reports of 19 Russian drones violating Poland’s airspace on 10 September for approximately six hours.
Poland deployed F-16 and F-35 jets, shooting down 4 out of 19 Russian drones, while others fell on Polish soil, triggering NATO’s Article 4 consultations, which allow member states to hold urgent talks when a country’s territorial integrity is threatened.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has described the incident as an “unprecedented moment”for both the country and the Alliance, marking the first massive attack on NATO territory.
Massive strike on Ukraine
The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed it launched a massive strike on Ukraine “with high-precision long-range weapons from land, sea, and air, as well as with strike drones.”
They are targeting defense-industrial enterprises in Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr oblasts, as well as in Vinnytsia and Lviv.
“These facilities were producing and repairing armored and aviation equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, engines, electronic components, and long-range drones,” said the Russian Defense Ministry.
It added that in Lviv, workshops at the Lviv Armored Plant and Lviv Aircraft Plant were hit, “where armored vehicles were repaired and modernized and long-range UAVs and combat aircraft were maintained.”
Russia launched 415 drones of various types and over 40 cruise and ballistic missiles against Ukraine. One person was killed and over 30 were injured. Ukrainian air defenses destroyed more than 380 drones across the country.
Earlier, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented the attack on Poland by saying that “We do not wish to in any way comment on this. It is outside our competence,” referring to the Ministry of Defense.
He added that the EU and NATO “accuse Russia of provocations daily,” and that Western institutions “lack evidence to support their accusations.”
In 2025, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Head Sergey Naryshkin accused NATO of escalating military activity near Russia’s borders. He warned that Poland and the Baltic states would be the first to suffer in the event of a warbetween Moscow and the Alliance.
Belarus claims drones merely “lost their way”
Meanwhile, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense claimed the Russian drones attacking Poland had “lost their way.”
Belarus reportedly alerted Poland about drone movements in its airspace. First Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Muraveiko told The Moscow Times that some of the “lost” drones were destroyed by Belarusian air defenses over its territory.
Muraveiko explained that Belarusian forces “exchanged information on aerial and radar activity”with Poland and Lithuania during the night of 10 September, allowing Polish forces to respond quickly by scrambling jets.
He added that drones from both Russia and Ukraine had been monitored as some lost course due to electronic warfare measures.
Belarus has become effectively a Russian satellite in recent years, providing its territory for military exercises, including the large-scale “Zapad-2025” drills, rehearsing joint operations against NATO and Ukraine. President Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly expressed support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and closely coordinates with the Kremlin militarily.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine’s and its partners’ air defense systems can and must operate together to intercept Russian missiles and drones.
Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine is ready to provide expertise, experience, technology, and other forms of assistance to ensure reliable security and an effective response to Russian threats.
“Together, we will not allow Russian missiles and drones to fly further into Europe,” he added, calling for rapid and decisive action to send Moscow a clear signal of unity and strength.
NATO is not treating Russia’s deliberate drone incursion into Polish territory as an attack, a NATO source told Reuters. This unprecedented revelation comes after a large overnight operation involving both Polish and NATO aircraft to intercept incoming Russian drones.
In the early hours of 10 September 2025, NATO aircraft shot down several explosive drones in Poland that had violated its airspace during a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine. While this is not the first time Russian drones have entered NATO airspace, it marks the first such incident to prompt a coordinated military response by NATO aircraft. Since 2022, drones have crossed into countries bordering Ukraine, including Romania and Poland, but were previously tolerated, allegedly to avoid escalation.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 415 drones and 43 missiles in total during the overnight assault. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says at least eight Shahed explosive drones were “aimed toward Poland.” Calling it “an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe,” he urged a strong, united response from Ukraine’s partners in Europe and the United States.
Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels reported that some of the Russian drones that initially entered Poland later returned to Ukraine.
NATO downplays Russia’s deliberate drone strike on Poland
Despite clear indications of intent, NATO is not treating the airspace violation as an act of aggression, a source within the Alliance told Reuters. The source added that initial indications suggested an intentional incursion of six to ten Russian drones overnight on 10 September. NATO radars tracked the drones, and a coordinated operation involving Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS surveillance planes, and mid-air refueling aircraft was launched.
“It was the first time NATO aircraft have engaged potential threats in allied airspace,” the source said.
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Poland shoots down Russian drones, closes 4 airports in “unprecedented” border violation
European leaders condemn Russia and express solidarity with Poland
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyendescribed the drone strikes as “a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s airspace.” Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, she declared full European solidarity with Poland and announced a new Qualitative Military Edge program to boost Ukrainian defense capabilities.
French President Emmanuel Macronlabeled the airspace breach “simply unacceptable.” In a post on X, he promised to raise the issue with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stating, “We will not compromise on the security of the Allies.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmercalled Russia’s drone attack “extremely reckless” and said it highlighted “Putin’s blatant disregard for peace.” He confirmed direct communication with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and thanked NATO and Polish forces for their swift response.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that early indications suggested the drone entries into Polish territory were intentional.
Poland details the scale of airspace violation and defensive actions
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said19 drones entered Polish airspace overnight, with many of those flying in from Belarus. According to Tusk, four were probably shot down, with the last interception occurring at 6:45 a.m. Poland’s military command stated that more than 10 drones had been tracked and that those posing a threat were neutralized.
The military described the repeated violations as “an act of aggression.” Airports in Warsaw, Lublin, and two other cities were closed during the threat. Polish authorities urged residents in Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin regions to remain indoors. NATO air command and Dutch F-35s provided assistance throughout the operation.
Czechia and Lithuania express alarm, call out Russian provocation
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fialasaid the incident was “a test of the defense capabilities of NATO countries.” He called it deliberate and said Putin’s regime “systematically probes how far it can go.” Fiala reaffirmed Czech solidarity with Poland and warned against voices downplaying Russia’s aggression.
Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys, however, told Reuters that there was no confirmed evidence yet that the drone strike was intentional. However, he stressed that Russia remains responsible for keeping its drones out of NATO territory.
Belarus and Moscow close ranks and deny responsibility
Russia and Belarus, longtime anti-Ukrainian allies, dismissed the accusations. Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Poland, Andrey Ordash, was summoned by the Polish foreign ministry. He told Russia’s RIA state news agency, “We see the accusations as groundless,” claiming Poland had presented no evidence linking the Russian drones to Russia.
Belarusian Chief of the General Staff Major General Pavel Muraveiko attempted to shift blame for Russia’s deliberate attack on Poland toward Ukraine. He claimed Belarus had allegedly shot down drones that had strayed into its airspace due to Ukrainian electronic interference. Without specifying their origin, he claimed that both Poland and Lithuania had been warned about the drones’ approach.
Polish publications Polsat News and RMF24 report that a drone with “Cyrillic” inscriptions crashed on Polish territory near the Belarusian border on the evening of 7 September. The incident occurred close to Poland’s border crossing in Terespol, raising new alarms about Russian drone incursions linked to its war in Ukraine.
Russia launches daily drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Occasionally, these explosive drones veer off course and cross into neighboring countries. Thus far, only Belarus—an ally of Moscow—has made any effort to intercept them. In other documented cases, including in Moldova, Romania, Poland, and Lithuania, no interceptions have been reported.
A drone with “Cyrillic” writing falls near Polish homes
The drone fell around 300 meters from the Polish border checkpoint in the village of Polatycze, in Lublin Voivodeship, according to the local prosecutor’s office. The nearest residential buildings were just 500 meters from the crash site, Polsat reported, citing the prosecutor’s office. Authorities confirmed that the object did not explode upon impact, but that fuel ignited after the crash. RMF24 says no one was injured.
Agnieszka Kępka, spokesperson for the Lublin District Prosecutor’s Office, stated that border guards discovered the drone wreckage at approximately 19:50 the next day. They have already been questioned as witnesses. A civilian later reported hearing the sound of the drone.
The drone had “Cyrillic” text on its components and numeric markings on others. It appeared to be made of lightweight styrofoam-like material. Investigators are now cataloging every fragment on-site before the debris is transferred for forensic analysis.
Russia often marks its drones with Russia-specific Cyrillic letters, such as Ы.
Military prosecutors take over case amid Gerbera drone suspicion
The military department of the Lublin District Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation in cooperation with the Military Police. Authorities secured 12 major components and hundreds of smaller parts, many made of styrofoam. While investigators say the drone was likely unarmed, its material and structure resemble Russian-made Gerbera drones, capable of carrying explosive devices.
Most of the drones that Russia uses in its daily attacks against Ukrainian civilians are Shahed-type explosive drones, carrying up to 90 kg of explosives, and Gerbera decoy drones. The Gerberas are cheap drones made of styrofoam and can additionally carry a small explosives payload and surveillance equipment.
No details have been released about whether a Polish military radar tracked the drone. RMF24 reports that prosecutors do not yet know the time or direction of its entry into Polish airspace. The visible impact mark in the field allowed officials to pinpoint the crash site, which lies in a cornfield near Terespol. Military investigators are expected to assess the drone’s model and origin.
Biała Podlaska police confirmed receiving a report from the local border guard station just before 22:00, not mentioning 7 September as the crash date. Officers secured the crash site and alerted all relevant agencies, including the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Biała Podlaska. Authorities reiterated that no residents were harmed and that the wreckage poses no immediate threat.
This is not the first time drones from Russian or Belarusian directions have crossed into Polish airspace. Throughout the war, Russia has launched drone and missile strikes at Ukraine near the Polish border. Occasionally, these drones violate Polish airspace, and some of them later return to Ukraine. Polish authorities have consistently downplayed incidents that do not directly endanger civilians, aiming to avoid escalation.
On 7 September, a different unmanned aerial vehicle fell in the village of Majdan-Sielec, near Zamość. Investigators from the Zamość District Prosecutor’s Office said it likely crashed due to fuel exhaustion.
According to RMF24, the landowner where the first drone crashed noted the presence of what looked like a camera module. Authorities confirmed the device was being analyzed by forensic experts.
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Russian drone crosses NATO border and flies freely—Poland responds with radar alerts but no action again
Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels on Telegram reported on 7 September that a Russian drone had crossed Ukraine’s Volyn and was headed toward Zamość, a Polish city located 150 km south of the crash site.
European intelligence services have dismantled a spy network run by Belarus’ KGB across several EU states, the Czech counterintelligence agency (BIS) announced on 8 September evening. Among the suspects is Alexandru Balan, a former deputy head of Moldova’s Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) and later a diplomat to Ukraine, who was arrested in Romania.
The case highlights how Belarus continues to serve as a channel for Russian influence and espionage inside the EU, testing European security architecture and raising calls for tighter controls on Belarusian and Russian diplomatic movements across Schengen states.
Network linked to Belarus’ KGB
According to BIS, operatives from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania uncovered the network, which relied heavily on Belarusian diplomatic cover to move agents across Europe. The operation was coordinated under the supervision of the EU’s judicial cooperation agency Eurojust.
“To successfully counter these hostile activities in Europe, we need to restrict the movement of accredited diplomats from Russia and Belarus within the Schengen area,” BIS chief Michal Koudelka stated.
Romanian and Moldovan media later confirmed the suspect’s identity as Alexandru Balan, a former deputy director of the SIS. Possessing both Moldovan and Romanian citizenship, Balan is accused of leaking classified information and high treason in favour of the Belarusian spy institution (KGB).
Diplomatic mission in Ukraine
After leaving Moldova’s intelligence service, Balan was appointed as a diplomat at the Moldovan Embassy in Kyiv. This fact was not highlighted in this particular case, but it raises a significant concern regarding Mr. Balan’s previous record of activities within his diplomatic position.
The case highlights the vulnerability of diplomatic postings during wartime and the regional risks posed by compromised officials.
Balan’s record of abuses
Commenting to the Romanian press, Moldova’s former Defense Minister Anatol Salaru described Balan as “the main anti-Romania figure in Moldova’s SIS.”
Salaru accused him of recruiting Bessarabian students in Romania for intelligence purposes, orchestrating bribery schemes, and protecting criminals.
Balan also played a role in the notorious 2018 case, when Turkish teachers from a Turkish-Romanian high school in Chișinău were kidnapped and handed over to Ankara at the request of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The teachers were taken directly from the streets of Chișinău, flown to Türkiye, and immediately jailed, leaving their families behind.
Wider security implications
The exposure of Belarus’ European spy network comes as Minsk deepens its alignment with Moscow. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and later approved the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles.
Belarus, under dictator Alexander Lukashenko, remains a close ally of Russia. Moscow not only uses Belarusian territory to stage its war against Ukraine but also seeks to empower pro-Russian forces in neighboring countries, including Moldova. The spy network thus illustrates a broader Kremlin strategy to undermine security across Eastern Europe and destabilize Ukraine’s allies.
Russia’s 7 September missile attack on Kyiv’s Cabinet of Ministers building used an Iskander 9M727 cruise missile containing more than 30 foreign-made components, including parts manufactured in the US, UK, Japan, and Switzerland, according to Ukrainian presidential adviser on sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk.
Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia continues daily drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine’s analysis of wreckage and unexploded munitions reveals Moscow’s extensive use of foreign-made components in the production of its drones and missiles.
Missile strike on Cabinet building used Western tech
Vlasiuk confirmed the building was struck with a 9M727 Iskander missile. The warhead did not explode, he said, likely due to the missile being damaged. However, the fuel ignited and caused a fire on the roof of the Cabinet building.
According to Vlasiuk, a previously examined missile of the same model contained 35 American-made parts, five Belarusian parts, and 57 Russian ones. The missile also included one component each from Japan, the UK, and Switzerland.
Wreckage of the missile used by Russian forces to strike Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers building on 7 September 2025. Photo: Facebook/kmathernova
Foreign manufacturers identified in the missile included Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, and Altera from the US, College Electronics Ltd from the UK, Fujitsu from Japan, and Traco Power from Switzerland.
Belarusian company Integral was also listed, alongside multiple Russian firms such as Mikron, Production Association “Strela”, Angstrem, Research and Design Bureau “Eksiton”, and Karachevsky Plant “Elektrodetal”.
Shift in missile component origin revealed
Vlasiuk noted that compared to missiles analyzed in previous years, the number of US and European components had declined. In contrast, the use of Russian and Belarusian-made components increased.
He stated that all findings had been provided to international partners to support further sanctions responses.
Record missile and drone assault on 7 September
On 7 September, Russia launched an unprecedented assault on Ukraine using 605 explosive drones and 13 missiles. One of the missiles struck the roof of the Cabinet of Ministers building in central Kyiv.
The deadliest attack that day targeted a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district. The blast at the residential building killed three civilians, including a baby, and injured 11 others. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (DSNS) completed the search and rescue operation at the site on 8 September. Rescuers managed to save seven residents from the rubble.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the Polish-Belarusian border to demonstrate European solidarity, according to Tusk’s statement on X.
The Polish Prime Minister said that Belarusian border guards “listened attentively” to their press conference at the frontier. Tusk wrote that the European Commission head had the opportunity to see the situation at the EU’s eastern border firsthand.
Since 2021, self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has refused to control the flow of refugees through his country to EU states, triggering a migration crisis. Poland responded by constructing a 5-meter electronic barrier along the Belarus border, equipped with thousands of cameras and surveillance technology designed to prevent illegal border crossings.
“I am here today to express Europe’s full solidarity with Poland as a frontline state. For many years now, you and the Polish people have faced deliberate and cynical hybrid attacks. I want to emphasize that Europe supports you in every possible way,” von der Leyen said during the visit.
The Commission President announced that the EU’s budget proposal for the next seven years would triple investments in migration, border management and protection. EU member states that share borders with Russia and Belarus will receive additional EU funding under the plan.
“I want to emphasize: Europe’s borders are a shared responsibility. Here we are at the Polish border, but also at the European border, and this is a shared responsibility,” von der Leyen said.
The visit comes as Poland continues to manage migration pressure along its eastern border, where the electronic barrier system represents one of the EU’s most technologically advanced border protection measures.
U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg denied on July 1 that he agreed to "work on" halting Ukraine's drone attacks on Russia, contradicting Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's claim.
Speaking at a state event on Belarus's Independence Day, Lukashenko said he relayed Russian President Vladimir Putin's position to Kellogg during their June 21 meeting in Minsk.
According to Lukashenko, the Russian president is willing to consider a ceasefire in Ukraine if Ukrainian forces stop conducting drone strikes on Russian territory.
"I conveyed this position to the Americans," Lukashenko said on July 1. "We will work on it, said (the U.S. special envoy), in this direction."
Kellogg pushed back on the claim, writing on X that the quote was "taken out of context" and misrepresented the substance of their talks.
"At no point did I make comments related to Ukraine's prosecution of the war outside of a total ceasefire," he said. "In my conversation with Lukashenko, we discussed a full and unconditional ceasefire."
The June meeting between Kellogg and Lukashenko marked the highest-level U.S. visit to Belarus since former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 2020 trip. Belarusian state media widely portrayed Kellogg's visit as a sign of thawing relations.
Shortly after the talks, Belarus released opposition leader and political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who had been jailed since the 2020 presidential election.
Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and remains a key ally of the Kremlin. His regime has allowed Russian troops and equipment to use Belarusian territory to attack Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko announced on July 1 that the Russian-made Oreshnik missile system will be deployed in Belarus by the end of 2025. Speaking at a ceremony marking Independence Day, Lukashenko said the decision was made in coordination with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Volgograd.
"The first Oreshnik positions will be in Belarus. You’ve seen how Oreshnik works: the same missiles, the same strikes — but without nuclear warheads, without radioactive contamination of the land and air. This weapon will be stationed in Belarus by the end of the year," Lukashenko said.
Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994 and claimed victory in a seventh consecutive presidential election in January, argued that hosting such weaponry would not make Belarus a target, adding that such concerns are being "imposed from outside." He claimed that countries possessing nuclear weapons have historically avoided military aggression and said the presence of such systems in Belarus is intended solely as a deterrent.
He also said he had delivered a warning to U.S. officials, stating that while nuclear weapons in Belarus are securely stored in accordance with international standards, any unauthorized incursion into Belarusian territory would trigger a "swift and forceful response."
The Belarusian leader emphasized that any use of the Oreshnik system would not involve nuclear warheads and that maintaining modern military capabilities is critical for national defense.
Russia first launched the experimental Oreshnik missile during a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Nov. 21. Putin claimed the attack was in retaliation for Ukraine's use of U.S. and British long-range missiles against Russian territory.
Although little is publicly known about the missile, defense experts believe Oreshnik is not a wholly new development but likely an upgraded version of Russia’s RS-26 missile, also known as the Rubezh, which was first produced in 2011.
Lukashenko reportedly thanked Moscow for supporting the deployment of advanced weapons systems to Belarus and said the introduction of Oreshnik would serve as a tool for domestic stability. "I’m confident that even those of our supporters who don’t yet understand this will come to realize it — without a war. That’s why Oreshnik will be on Belarusian soil. To prevent uprisings," he said.
Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a Belarusian oppositionist recently released from prison, thanked the U.S. on June 22 for brokering his release and appealed to President Donald Trump to help free other political prisoners in Belarus.
"President Trump now has the power and opportunity to free all political prisoners in Belarus with a single word. And I ask him to do so, to say that word," Tsikhanouski said in Vilnius during his first press conference after the release.
Tsikhanouski, a popular blogger who planned to challenge Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election, was arrested shortly before the vote and later sentenced to 18 years in prison on politically motivated charges.
The opposition leader and at least 13 other detainees were released from Belarusian prisons on June 21 after Lukashenko met U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, in Minsk.
Speaking at the press conference alongside his wife and opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Tsikhanouski affirmed that both of them "will continue to support Ukraine and call all of the perpetrators accountable."
Tsikhanouski confirmed that he used to do business both in Ukraine and in Russia but refuted allegations of pro-Russian sympathies, affirming his support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"I believe Crimea is Ukrainian. Zelensky has the hardest fate and a heavy load that no other president has. Zelensky is my hero," Tsikhanouski said.
He also said that Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya remains the leader of the Belarusian opposition, and he will not challenge that.
Tsikhanouskaya stepped in as the opposition candidate in 2020 after her husband's arrest, but was forced into exile after Lukashenko declared victory in what was broadly seen as massive election fraud.
"Do you think that anybody who serves in prison automatically becomes a leader? We have 1,200 such leaders," Tsikhanouski added, referring to the number of political prisoners who remain in prison under Lukashenko's regime.
"Belarus can't be free until the Putin regime collapses. If it wasn't for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, we would not be sitting here; it would have been over (after the Belarus' popular protests against Lukashenko) in 2020-2021," Tsikhanouski said.
Lukashenko, in power since 1994, is a close ally of Putin and has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for military operations against Ukraine.
The Belarusian dictator has maintained a tight grip over his country by electoral fraud, surveillance, and brutal crackdown on free press, civil society, and political opposition, prompting Western countries to impose sanctions on Belarus.
Editor's note: This item has been expanded with additional details.
Belarusian opposition leader and political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski was released on June 21, shortly after dictator Alexander Lukashenko met in Minsk with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.
Tsikhanouski , a popular blogger who planned to challenge Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election, was arrested shortly before the vote and later sentenced to 18 years in prison on politically motivated charges. Amnesty International recognized Tsikhanouski as a prisoner of conscience.
His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, stepped in and became the main opposition candidate against Lukashenko.
At least 13 political detainees, including prominent blogger Ihar Losik, were also released on June 21, Belarusian independent outlet Nasha Niva reported.
The other released prisoners include three Polish citizens, two Latvian citizens, one Estonian citizen, a Swedish citizen, a U.S. citizen, and two Japanese citizens, according to Lukashenko's press secretary.
In a post on social media, Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the news but highlighted that "1,150 political prisoners remain behind bars."
My husband Siarhei is free! It’s hard to describe the joy in my heart.
We’re not done. 1150 political prisoners remain behind bars. All must be released. pic.twitter.com/MhngqBHFq3
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) June 21, 2025
Kellogg's deputy, John Coale, said the released political prisoners had been transferred to Vilnius and expressed gratitude to the Lithuanian government for facilitating their relocation.
"President Trump's strong leadership led to the release of 14 prisoners from Belarus today. Thanks to the Lithuanian government for its cooperation and assistance — they remain a true friend and ally," Coale wrote on X.
According to official results of the 2020 election, Lukashenko won with 80% of the vote, while Tsikhanouskaya received just 10%. Evidence indicates that the election was heavily rigged, and Tsikhanouskayacould have realistically won the vote.
As a result, hundreds of thousands took to the streets in Belarus in 2020 to demand a fair election. Thousands were arrested, and many were beaten and tortured. At least seven demonstrators were killed during the protests.
Minsk has faced repeated Western sanctions since the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.
Lukashenko, in power since 1994, is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for military operations against Ukraine.
"You have caused quite a stir in the world with your arrival," Lukashenko told Kellogg during their meeting at the Palace of Independence, according to state-run outlet Belta.
"But I wonder why. Can't we have a normal dialogue and talk about our affairs – about relations between Belarus and the United States of America?"
Kellogg is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Belarus in recent years, following former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 2020 trip under Trump's first term.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Lukashenko's regime has played a key logistical role in supporting Moscow's campaign, offering its territory for troop deployments and weapons stockpiles.
Latvia's parliament adopted a bill on June 19 that prohibits citizens of Russia and Belarus from purchasing real estate in the country, Latvian media reported.
The bill — which carves out exceptions for EU and Latvian permanent residence holders, Belarusian refugees, and repatriates — establishes the new restrictions under the pretenses of protecting the country's national security.
In addition to citizens, the bill prohibits entities that are at least 25% owned by Russian or Belarusian nationals from purchasing property.
"This is a step to limit the influence and presence in Latvia of persons and companies that are adverse to the country,” said Agnese Krasta, an Estonian member of parliament and one of the authors of the initiative.
Latvia, which borders both Russia and Estonia, is widely viewed as one of the most likely targets for a future Russian attack on NATO or the European Union. As the war in Ukraine continues to rage on, Latvia has taken action to increase civil preparedness measures and has drafted plans to relocate a quarter of its population in the case of war.
EU intelligence and security agencies have warned of mounting Russian sabotage operations, including several arson attacks believed to have been coordinated by Moscow.
Latvia joins Finland in imposing a ban on Russians from buying, as Baltic and Nordic countries continue to impose restrictions on Russia over its aggression in the region.
In September 2022, Latvia imposed entry restrictions on Russian citizens as part of a jointagreement with Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Latvia has been one of Ukraine's most vocal backers.
The Baltic state ranks among Europe's top defense spenders, allocating over 3% of GDP to defense in 2025, according to NATO estimates.
U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg will meet Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the coming days, Reuters reported on June 17, citing four sources familiar with the matter.
Kellogg will meet Lukashenko in a visit to Belarus as peace talks to bring an end to Russia's war against Ukraine remain inconclusive, Reuters reported.
In February, U.S. Deputy Assistant State Secretary Christopher W. Smith visited Belarus alongside two other U.S. officials to conduct a prisoner swap in a similar unannounced visit.
Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and has been accused of staging fraudulent elections in Belarus. The leader declared a seventh consecutive presidential election victory in January.
Kellogg has given the impression that the meeting could help reinitiate largely unsuccessful peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, two sources told Reuters.
Lukashenko is seen as a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russia faces isolation in response to its full-scale war against Ukraine.
The White House has discussed ways to weaken Russia's influence on Minsk and bring Belarus closer to the United States, one of the sources said.
On Feb. 12, Smith drove to Belarus from Lithuania following a phone call with Lukashenko. The small U.S. delegation visited a border town where three political prisoners were transferred, including one U.S. citizen and two Belarusian citizens, the New York Times reported.
Lukashenko assured he was ready to decrease repression in Belarus, Smith said, adding that the U.S. wants Belarus to be less reliant on Russia.
Belarus has faced Western sanctions following a presidential election in 2020 that international observers condemned as fraudulent. The sham election garnered mass protests that rejected the results.
Minsk refused to invite a mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe the country's Jan. 26 presidential election.
Belarus further isolated itself from the West as it supports Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
The Council of the EU on June 12 approved fresh tariffs on fertilizers and remaining agricultural goods from Russia and Belarus, aiming to reduce Russian export revenues.
The measures target those goods that have not yet been subject to additional customs duties and will enter into force on July 1. The tariffs on fertilizers will increase gradually over the next three years.
"Polish Presidency motto is 'Security, Europe!' and these measures increase our economic security by reducing dependencies from Russia," said Michal Baranowski, the trade undersecretary at the Polish Economy Ministry.
"We are further reducing Russia’s export revenues and therefore its ability to finance its brutal war. This is united Europe at its best," he said in a statement.
The new tariffs will apply to goods that made up around 15% of all agricultural imports from Russia in 2023. Fertilizer tariffs will focus on certain nitrogen-based products, the Council said in a statement.
Russian fertilizers accounted for more than a quarter of all of the EU's imports in this sector in 2023, worth almost $1.5 billion.
Apart from stifling Russia's trade revenue, the step also aims to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian and Belarusian goods, protect European farmers, and diversify the supply.
The EU adopted higher tariffs on cereals, oilseeds, and some other products from Russia and Belarus in May 2024. Earlier this year, the European Commission proposed imposing similar measures on all remaining agricultural products from the two countries.
Il n’a jamais été simple de parler du Bélarus en France sans tomber dans le cliché. La formulation « dernière dictature d’Europe » a encore été reprise par les médias aujourd’hui pour évoquer le scrutin présidentiel qui s’est tenu dimanche, et j’en veux un peu aux journalistes pour cette paresse intellectuelle. « Dernière dictature d’Europe » était une formule confortable pour se rassurer sur le processus de démocratisation qui aurait été en voie de généralisation sur le continent européen; certes, à des vitesses variables, mais quand-même quasiment certain. Le Bélarus faisait alors office d’épouvantail et de dernier bastion d’un monde en cours de disparition. Cela empêchait de voir les dynamiques réelles sur place (et de s’interroger par exemple sur la manière dont la stabilité, les politiques sociales et le progrès économique pouvaient atrophier la sensibilité politique). Cela faisait aussi du bien à l’égo européen. Nous n’en sommes plus là aujourd’hui, bien évidemment, et dans un contexte de montée d’attractivité des autoritarismes, le Belarus est plutôt un cas d’école qui devrait attirer notre attention. Dire que l’élection présidentielle qui vient de s’écouler était un simulacre, c’est à la fois vrai et stérile, parce que c’est une manière de dire « point, à la ligne, on passe à autre chose » qui neutralise toute volonté de compréhension. Malheureusement, la guerre conduite par la Russie contre l’Ukraine m’a empêché d’être suffisamment vigilante sur le Bélarus pour livrer une analyse approfondie. Ce que je dis est à prendre avec des pincettes; ce sont des pistes à creuser. Un régime politique autoritaire fonctionne grâce à un certain dosage de coercition et d’adhésion; il doit non seulement mettre en place une répression suffisamment forte pour bloquer les oppositions, mais aussi distribuer suffisamment de bénéfices pour susciter l’adhésion. Plus le ratio est en faveur des bénéfices, plus le pouvoir est stable; plus il penche du côté répressif, plus le régime est fragile. Pendant longtemps, le régime politique du Belarus s’est attaché à distribuer beaucoup de bénéfices à la population, notamment à travers des politiques sociales, des politiques de développement et une promesse de stabilité et de prévisibilité. Les Bélarusses vivaient – économiquement – plutôt mieux que beaucoup de leurs voisins, et en avaient conscience. Le prix politique à payer apparaissait donc comme acceptable. Evidemment, le soutien de la Russie était et reste l’exosquelette du régime bélarusse, aussi bien d’un point de vue politique qu’économique. Les protestations massives de 2020 étaient intervenues dans le contexte d’une certaine fragilisation du modèle, et notamment d’une perception du régime comme moins protecteur, mais aussi en décalage avec les demandes de la société. Les répressions violentes qui ont suivi et qui se sont maintenues tout au long des années suivantes ont fait basculer le ratio répression/bénéfices en faveur de la répression. Cette période violente va compter dans l’histoire politique bélarusse: on ne le perçoit pas encore, mais elle a donné naissance à une expérience différente, moins marginale de l’opposition politique, de la répression et de la prison. Elle a aussi permis de structurer une opposition à l’étranger et de lui donner des canaux de prise de parole. Derrière les apparences de « il ne se passe rien », le Belarus est en réalité bien plus prêt qu’en 2020 à entamer une transition politique, avec une nouvelle génération de citoyens jetés avec violence dans la politique. Cependant, et paradoxalement, c’est la guerre en Ukraine qui a redonné de la stabilité au régime bélarusse. En effet, dans un contexte où la Russie essaie de toutes ses forces de faire du Bélarus un cobelligérant, il y a des choses que Loukachenko a réussi à protéger. Certes, des unités armées russes et des complexes d’armement sont désormais basés au Belarus, qui sert de base aux attaques contre l’Ukraine. Cependant, aucune unité armée bélarusse ne combat aux côtés de la Russie contre l’Ukraine. Pensez au paradoxe: des soldats nord-coréens, mais pas de soldats bélarusses, alors que le pays se déclare être le plus proche allié de la Russie. Le territoire du Bélarus reste un territoire en paix. Cela, les citoyens savent qu’ils le doivent en partie à Loukachenko… mais aussi en partie aux Ukrainiens qui ne désespèrent pas de retourner les Bélarusses contre Moscou, et qui ne les perçoivent pas de la même manière que les Russes. La politique menée par Loukachenko vis-à-vis de la Russie a été caractérisée par un de mes anciens collègues bélarusses par la formule suivante: « on dit oui à tout, puis on bureaucratise au maximum le processus pour finalement ne rien faire ». C’est aussi une stratégie que les Bélarusses appliquent au quotidien vis-à-vis de leur Etat. Il y a une certaine résilience stratégique de la société bélarusse qu’on ferait bien de souligner. Ne nous laissons pas tromper par cette apparence de calme plat: le Bélarus n’est pas la Russie et suivra une dynamique qui lui sera propre.
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