Lithuania has begun its Arsus Vilkas 2025 (“Fierce Wolf 2025”) military exercises from August 11 to 22 near its border with Belarus. The drills involve about 350 troops and 50 pieces of equipment, including infantry fighting vehicles, with activities ranging from defensive operations in populated areas to division-level live fire exercises.
These drills come shortly after Russian troops and equipment started arriving in Belarus for the large-scale Zapad-2025 exercises planned for mid-September. NATO and Kyiv have expressed concern that these Russian-led drills could mask preparations for further aggression against Ukraine, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Belarus had initially promised the exercises would take place away from its western border to reduce tensions but later hinted at a possible change due to increased military activity by Poland and Lithuania.
Ukraine’s border guards report several hundred Russian troops and dozens of vehicles have arrived in Belarus for the drills, but say this number does not currently threaten Ukraine.
The Zapad-2021 exercises were followed by joint Russian-Belarus drills that preceded Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raising alarms about the significance of these current maneuvers.