Poland Seals Border With Belarus, Bracing For Russia’s ‘Zapad’ War Games

For years there have been extreme tensions along the Belarus-Poland border, given especially that Belarus has long been a ‘union state’ with Russia, and Poland is deemed a core component of NATO’s ‘eastern flank’.

But the Polish government announced this week it will imminently seal the whole border starting September 11, in anticipation of the Zapad 2025 exercise involving the Russian and Belarusian militaries.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday, “Taking state security issues into account, we will close the border with Belarus, including the rail border crossing point, on Thursday night over the Zapad 2025 maneuvers,” according to TVP Info.

Earlier this month, Warsaw warned of “special measures” in response to potential “provocations” during the upcoming joint exercises.

The Zapad drills have of late been happening every two years, and this year it is expected to comprise nuclear weapons and Russian-made hypersonic missiles. Anti-sabotage warfare will also be a focus.

Politico notes that Lithuania is on high alert too, and that the ‘eastern flank’ is bracing for unpredictable events:

The drills, running Sept. 12–16, will have some maneuvers taking place close to Poland and Lithuania as the Kremlin practices for a possible clash with NATO forces.

“We must take the exercises near NATO and EU borders seriously; both the bordering countries and NATO itself are treating them with the utmost seriousness,” said Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Tomas Godliauskas. “Lithuania and our allies are prepared, united, and will closely monitor developments, ready to respond if necessary.”

Poland will actually host drills which mirror the Belarus-hosted war games, holding Iron Defender-25 joint military exercise with NATO, including an estimated 34,000 troops and 600 units of military hardware.

Major crossings were already scenes of immense tensions as Polish border guards clashed with migrants being facilitated through Belarus and into the EU…

Prior to the planned total border closure this week, just two out of six vehicle crossings have remained open, after recent years of a running political spat over accusations that Belarusian Alexander Lukashenko has been ‘weaponizing’ migrants against the EU and Poland.

Neighboring NATO states worry about the possibility of errant drones or aircraft violating their airspace – which has actually already happened on several occasions, typically resulting in Polish jets being scrambled in response.