Aircraft thundered over Finland’s forests as soldiers stormed an airstrip. Amid threats from Russia, the country held joint drills with Poland in which NATO allies simulated both an attack and a defense of an airfield, based on the example of Russia’s failed 2022 operation in Hostomel, Kyiv Oblast, Business Insider reports. 

The drills Northern Forest Saber involved airdropping a red team, consisting of Polish airborne forces and Finnish units, onto a runway in a forest. Their objective was to capture and hold the airfield to enable the arrival of reinforcements and heavy weapons.

At the same time, the blue team, composed exclusively of Finnish troops, had to repel the assault and retake control of the site.

Finland, which lacks its own airborne forces, gained invaluable experience through cooperation with its Polish counterparts. Colonel Matti Honko of the Finnish army acknowledged: “You need to suppress air defenses and secure air superiority. Before you can do that, there’s a lot you must be capable of.”

Polish Brigadier General Michał Strzelecki added that airborne operations are even more complex today than in the past but remain critical in the early phases of war: “Rapid deployment of troops through airborne operations can be decisive.”

NATO openly acknowledges that such training incorporates lessons from the war in Ukraine.

Despite Russia’s plan’s failure, NATO allies, especially those bordering Russia, are determined not to repeat the enemy’s mistakes and are preparing today for potential scenarios of aggression.

Russia and Belarus have significantly reduced the scale of the planned Zapad-2025 joint military exercise and relocated its main activities away from NATO-adjacent areas, a decision likely driven by Russian military overstretch due to Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on 28 May.

Belarusian Defense Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin announced on social media that the upcoming Zapad-2025 exercise would be relocated from the western border of Belarus to central parts of the country. He claimed this move aimed to demonstrate “readiness for de-escalation, dialogue, and peace.”

However, ISW notes that such a decision would not have been made without Moscow’s approval, suggesting broader strategic motives.

“Belarussian authorities would not have been able to make this decision independently without Russia. Russia and Belarus are attempting to posture themselves as unthreatening, reasonable, and cooperative to the West,” ISW wrote.

Forces unavailable due to Ukraine deployment

ISW points out that previous Zapad exercises involved large formations, including elements of Russia’s 1st Guards Tank Army, 20th Combined Arms Army, 6th Combined Arms Army, and approximately 4,000 Airborne (VDV) personnel from the 7th, 76th, 98th, and 106th divisions. Many of these units are now engaged in combat operations in Ukraine.

“Belarusian officials previously claimed that at least 13,000 personnel would participate in the Zapad-2025 exercise, and Russia and Belarus likely had to downsize the joint exercise as most of its forces are fighting in Ukraine,” ISW says.

Russia’s shrinking military bandwidth

The Zapad-2023 exercise was canceled unexpectedly, which ISW says is “very likely due to Russia’s equipment and manpower requirements for” the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The decision to downsize Zapad-2025 likely reflects similar constraints.