Location at a glance: airspace blocked: Russia and Belarus begin large maneuvers

In the immediate vicinity of the EU and NATO, Russia and its ally Belarus now begin a strategic major maneuver. In Poland in particular, SAPAD 2025 (West 2025), which runs until September 16, is being followed with concern, after several Russian drones recently entered the country’s airspace and some had been shot down. The Bundeswehr assumes that around 13,000 soldiers in Belarus and another 30,000 in the Russian field will be involved in the maneuver.

There are always joint military exercises by the two neighboring countries. In the EU and NATO, the consequences of the previous exercise SAPAD 2021 have remained in a bad memory: This used Russia at the time to move weapons and heavy equipment to prepare its attack on Ukraine in February 2022. The government in Belarus recently announced that it will reduce the scope of this year’s maneuver and to move it from the western border to the interior of the country in order to reduce tensions with the West.

Border and airspace blocked

Poland borders on Ukraine and follows the war with great concern in its immediate neighborhood. With the violation of the Polish airspace by Russian drones, which had entered the Polish and thus into NATO airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine on Wednesday during a Russian attack on Wednesday. For the first time, the Polish Air Force and other NATO allies in Poland shot Russian drones.

The government in Warsaw had the border to Belarus closed for the duration of the military maneuver, and the airspace near the border is also closed. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs therefore accused the neighboring country “confrontational steps”, which served to “justify the further escalation of the tensions in the center of Europe”.

Poland calls UN Security Council

In Poland, the penetration of the Russian drones into the NATO area is not only seen as an act of military aggression, but above all as part of Moscow’s psychological warfare. The government in Warsaw applied for an urgency meeting of the UN Security Council because of the incident. However, Russia can block any decisions there because of its veto law.

Polen’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said “the attention of the whole world on this unprecedented attack by Russian drones on a Member State not only the UN, but also the European Union and NATO”, said Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. With 19 injuries to the Polish airspace by drones within seven hours, it could not be a coincidence. “This is a military and political test not only for Poland, but for the entire NATO,” said Sikorski.

Trump: Drone campaign “Could have been mistakes”

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had already stated on Wednesday that he did not consider the violation of Polish airspace to be an oversight. Rather, in these incidents he sees “a very serious end to peace in all of Europe”.

On the other hand, US President Donald Trump replied on Thursday (local time) when asked by a reporter in front of the White House, the violation of the Polish airspace by Russian drones “could have been a mistake”. Nevertheless, he is “not happy” about “this whole situation”.

Since taking office in January, Trump has been accused of showing the attacker Russia too much for and can be demonstrated by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. After checking the incident, it is unlikely that the drones are really an accident. At least one of the flight robots flew from NATO circles in the direction of the distribution center for the Ukraine military aid at the Polish Airport in Rzeszow.

Germany sends further fighter jets to Poland

In response to the violation of Polish airspace, Germany strengthens its participation in the protection of the NATO east border. The monitoring of airspace over Poland by German fighter jets is extended and expanded, said government spokesman Stefan Kornelius.

The Bundeswehr is already in use with two Eurofighter fight jets on Poland stationed in Rostock-Laage. According to the Ministry of Department, the number of planes is now doubled to four and the operation, which was previously planned until the end of September, is initially extended until the end of the year.

The Federal Government will also intensify its support for Ukraine, said Kornelius, without giving any details. In the EU, Germany will work on a quick adoption of a “robust 19th sanction package” in order to further put Russia under pressure.

France also wants to increase the protection of the NATO east flank

France wants to send three rafale fight jets in response to the penetration of Russian drones in Poland’s airspace. You should contribute to the protection of Polish airspace and the eastern flank of NATO, President Emmanuel Macron announced. He did not say exactly where the jets should be used. “We will not bow to Russia’s increasing attempts to intimidate,” emphasized Macron.