Large-scale military exercises have begun in Belarus under the auspices of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), named ‘Unbreakable Brotherhood – 2026’ and ‘Barrier – 2026’. These manoeuvres are taking place against the backdrop of a tense international situation caused by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which lends the events particular significance.
More than 1,500 military personnel from CSTO member states – Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – are taking part in the exercises. Command-and-staff exercises have been launched in the Belarusian cities of Vitebsk and Starye Dorogi, where strategies for peacekeeping operations and countering biological threats are being practised.
A key feature of the exercises is the participation not only of military personnel but also of representatives from law enforcement agencies, the internal troops and the National Guard. More than 300 pieces of equipment are in use, of which around 80 are modern unmanned aerial vehicles.
Vladimir Bely, Chief of the General Staff of Belarus, noted that the exercises are a response to an increased military threat, attributing this to the strengthening of Western countries’ military capabilities. He claims that Western countries are preparing for a new war.
The Belarusian leadership continues to support Russian aggression against Ukraine by making its territory and infrastructure available for military operations. Despite this, in July, Belarus’s Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin described the situation around the country as calm, noting the absence of any clear signs that neighbouring states were preparing for active hostilities.
However, against the backdrop of the increasing use of drones in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, their incursions into Belarusian territory have become more frequent, which remains a cause for concern. Interestingly, such incidents are confirmed not by the Belarusian authorities, but by Ukrainian monitoring channels.
Whilst Belarus continues to take part in these large-scale manoeuvres, it remains to be seen how the situation in the region will develop and how this will affect the current geopolitical landscape.