In a significant development, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service announced on September 22 that all Russian troops have vacated Belarus following the extensive Zapad-2025 military exercises.

These large-scale drills, which took place from September 12 to 16 across 41 military sites in Belarus and western Russia, reportedly involved a staggering 100,000 troops. Despite the Kremlin's claims of their defensive nature, the exercises sent shockwaves through NATO's eastern edges, raising alarms about potential aggression.

Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the border guard service, emphasized on television that no aggressive maneuvers were detected near the Ukrainian frontier during or after the exercises. "All training activities occurred deep within Belarus," he confirmed.

Demchenko also mentioned that various Ukrainian military units remained vigilant throughout the drills. They closely monitored the situation to prevent any attempts at provocation at the border, reinforcing Ukraine's commitment to national security.

The Zapad exercises, held every four years, primarily focus on defensive strategies but have consistently raised eyebrows across Europe. As tensions escalated, Poland took precautionary measures by temporarily closing all border crossings with Belarus.

During the exercises, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a notable appearance on September 16 at the Mulino training ground in Nizhny Novgorod. There, he inspected the ongoing drills and evaluated over 400 types of military equipment.

Historical context adds to the anxiety surrounding these drills: After the Zapad-2021 maneuvers, Russian and Belarusian forces participated in the "Union Resolve-2022" exercises, which preceded Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Belarus's Defense Ministry reported that observers from NATO countries—including the U.S., Turkey, and Hungary—were present at portions of the Zapad-2025 drills. Despite assurances from Minsk, Western officials remain skeptical, viewing these military displays as tools for exerting pressure on NATO's eastern defenses.

As the dust settles from these exercises, the implications for regional stability and security continue to reverberate.