Moscow, Sep 16 (AP) - Tensions have escalated in Eastern Europe following a series of provocative military actions by Russia, sparking concern among NATO members on the alliance's eastern flank. Poland recently reported the incursion of a swarm of Russian drones, interpreted as a deliberate provocation, prompting NATO to enhance its air defenses in the region.
Concurrent with these developments, Russia is showcasing its military prowess through extensive exercises with Belarus, demonstrating its conventional and nuclear capabilities. These maneuvers, named “Zapad 2025” or “West 2025,” have involved nuclear-capable bombers, warships, thousands of troops, and hundreds of combat vehicles preparing for hypothetical enemy attacks, including simulated scenarios involving nuclear weapons and the new Oreshnik missile.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized the threat posed by Moscow's hypersonic missiles, indicating that nations such as Spain and Britain are as vulnerable as those bordering Russia, like Estonia and Lithuania. “Let's agree that within this alliance of 32 countries, we all live on the eastern flank,” he remarked from Brussels.
In the past year, President Vladimir Putin has revised Moscow's nuclear doctrine. The revised policy states that any conventional attack on Russia by a nation supported by a nuclear power will be deemed a joint assault on Russia, thereby lowering the threshold for nuclear retaliation. The doctrine also includes Belarus under the Russian nuclear protection umbrella, with Russia deploying battlefield nuclear weapons and planning to station Oreshnik missiles in Belarus later this year.
The latest round of exercises takes place amid an ongoing war in Ukraine, despite diplomatic efforts, including an unsuccessful summit between Putin and former US President Donald Trump in Alaska. On September 10, shortly before the exercises, approximately 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace. While Moscow denied any deliberate targeting and attributed the incident to a Ukrainian jamming mishap, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described it as a “provocation” that threatens to escalate into open conflict.
In response, NATO launched the “Eastern Sentry” initiative to boost air defenses in the region. Mark Rutte criticized Russia's actions as “reckless” and noted similar drone incursions in Romanian, Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian airspace.
Putin's Oreshnik Threat
The deployment of Russia's Oreshnik missile against Ukraine in November 2024 raised alarms in the West. President Putin warned of potential use against Kyiv's allies who permitted attacks on Russia with their longer-range missiles. The Oreshnik, with multiple warheads that reach speeds of up to Mach 10, is claimed to be almost impossible to intercept. Moscow asserts that the missile could deliver a conventional strike as devastating as a nuclear attack, taking a mere 11 minutes to reach Poland or 17 minutes to Brussels.
The Kremlin plans to station the Oreshnik in Belarus, enhancing its strategic position. The Russian Defense Ministry recently showcased nuclear-capable bombers and naval drills with hypersonic Zircon missiles, spanning Belarus and Arctic regions.
Rebuilding the Soviet-era 'Nuclear Fortress'
The deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, as announced by President Alexander Lukashenko, signifies a strategic shift. While Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles are built to destroy entire cities, tactical nuclear weapons have a shorter range and battlefield focus. The updated Russian doctrine allows for nuclear usage if conventional threats endanger Russia and Belarus's sovereignty.
Conflicting statements regarding command of the weapons have emerged, with Lukashenko initially asserting Belarusian control, while the Russian military maintains oversight. Putin has noted that while Moscow retains control, Minsk may select targets, with missiles capable of carrying heavier payloads for nearby threats.
Strategically, placing these weapons in Belarus allows Russia to target various NATO allies in Eastern and Central Europe more efficiently and quickly. It symbolizes a power shift, sending a potent message without actual deployment of weapons.
Military analyst Alexander Alesin argues that the presence of these weapons turns Belarus into a “balcony looming over the West,” threatening the Baltics, Poland, and Ukraine. (AP)
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
