CSTO Launches Large-Scale Nuclear Planning Exercises in Belarus

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), led by Russia and including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, has commenced large-scale military exercises in Belarus that involve planning for the use of nuclear weapons, though no actual nuclear armaments are being used. Over 2,000 troops and hundreds of pieces of equipment, including aircraft and drones, are participating in exercises named Interaction-2025, Search-2025, and Echelon-2025, which have been deliberately moved deeper into Belarus to avoid provocations near NATO borders. Belarusian and Russian military officials have emphasized that the drills are focused on strategic planning rather than deployment, with Russian forces sharing combat experience from their ongoing war in Ukraine. These exercises precede the upcoming Zapad-2025 drills scheduled for mid-September, which are also expected to involve nuclear planning. Lithuanian authorities have responded to the threat by establishing a no-fly zone near their border with Belarus and fortifying the frontier with defensive structures, reflecting regional security concerns. Ukrainian military leadership has warned that these exercises could mask preparations for offensive troop movements, while Ukrainian intelligence disputes Belarus’s claims about acquiring advanced missile systems.