Lithuania Launches Border Drills Amid Russian Troop Buildup in Belarus for Zapad-2025

Lithuania has commenced its ‘Arsus Vilkas 2025’ (Fierce Wolf 2025) military exercises, running from August 11 to 22, in regions bordering Belarus. The drills were announced on August 10 and involve approximately 350 personnel and 50 pieces of equipment, utilizing simulated ammunition and pyrotechnics.

These Lithuanian maneuvers coincide with the recent arrival of the first echelons of Russian troops and equipment in Belarus, ahead of the large-scale ‘Zapad-2025’ exercises scheduled for mid-September. Ukrainian State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko confirmed on August 11 that hundreds of Russian soldiers and dozens of vehicles have entered Belarus for the drills, though he noted this number does not currently pose a threat to Ukraine.

NATO and EU member Lithuania, a vocal critic of Moscow, shares borders with both Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. The alliance and Kyiv have expressed concerns that the Zapad-2025 drills could potentially serve as a cover for renewed Russian aggression, drawing parallels to the ‘Union Resolve-2022’ exercise which directly preceded Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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