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Zapad exercise to be key event for Russia, Belarus in 2025 — Russian defense minister

The drills will be held simultaneously at training grounds in Russia and Belarus

MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has called the Zapad-2025 (Exercise West) joint drills to be held at both countries' training grounds as the key event this year for Russia and Belarus.

"Probably, the key event this year is our joint exercise Zapad-2025, which will be held simultaneously at training grounds in Russia and Belarus," he said at a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

In turn, Lukashenko confirmed the readiness of the training grounds to host the drills.

"I want to say that we are ready for the exercise. We are not hiding anything from anyone. We really demonstrate openness. These exercises are defensive in nature," he said.