MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian and Belarus began a major joint military exercise on NATO’s doorstep on Friday that will involve drills in both countries and in the Baltic and Barents seas, the Russian defence ministry said.

The “Zapad-2025” exercise – a show of force by Russia and its close ally – is taking place at an exceptionally tense moment in the Russia-Ukraine war, two days after Poland, with support from its NATO allies, shot down suspected Russian drones over its airspace.

The Zapad (“West”) exercise was scheduled well before the drone incident, for which Russia denied responsibility.

WHAT WILL THE EXERCISE INVOLVE?

“The objectives of the drills are to improve the skills of commanders and staffs, the level of co-operation and field training of regional and coalition groupings of t

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