Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 14th (global hotspot) Russia-Belarus military exercise NATO tension
Xinhua news agency reporter
The "West-2017" joint military exercise between Russia and Belarus was unveiled on the 14th. Although the Russian side has repeatedly said that this military exercise is "purely defensive in nature", NATO has been nervous.
News fact
The exercise lasted until 20th. The exercise venue started from kola peninsula, Russia, and went all the way to Belarus. The theme was to train the armed forces to ensure the military security of the Russian-Belarusian alliance countries. The main purpose was to optimize the operational compatibility of the general staff of the two countries at all levels, and to connect the two countries’ armies and weapons command systems.
Today, the Russian news agency reported that the number of soldiers participating in this event reached 12,700, and about 70 military aircraft, 250 tanks, 200 artillery pieces and 10 warships were used. Russian Defense Minister shoigu said that this exercise is "the most important armed training this year".
Russia and Belarus have close relations. At the end of 1999, the two countries signed a treaty to establish a Russian-Belarusian union country, and they are committed to forming a confederate country while retaining their respective national sovereignty. The two countries held joint military exercises in Belarus for the first time in 2009, and then held such joint military exercises in turn every two years.
Belokonev, First Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, said that the military exercise was defensive in nature. NATO has continuously increased its military deployment in the three Baltic countries and Poland, and frequently approached the white border area. It is against this background that the "West-2017" exercise was carried out.
[Depth analysis]
Both Russia and Belarus stressed that this military exercise will not pose any threat to Europe as a whole or neighboring countries, but the relevant news has caused tension among NATO countries since its release. Western public opinion’s speculation about the actual scale of the Russian-Belarusian military exercise and the intention behind it is even more rampant. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen recently said that the actual number of soldiers participating in the military exercise was as high as 100,000, and the exercise was intended to be "strategic intimidation".
The reason why this military exercise caused anxiety in the west is inseparable from the recent deterioration of relations between Russia and the United States and other western countries. Not long ago, some Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States were closed, and the US military’s military deployment against Russia in Europe was also increasing, and the relations between the two countries were in trouble.
Analysts believe that in the context of such a large-scale military exercise, the relationship between Russia and the West cannot be eased, and mutual distrust and hostility may intensify. NATO may take countermeasures, but both sides will not let things get out of control.
[First Comment]
Military exercises in peacetime are a good opportunity to test the combat effectiveness of the army and enhance its combat capability. For Russia, it is a good opportunity to enhance its deterrence against NATO. The Russian-Belarusian joint military exercise has had a wide impact before it started. It can be said that Russia’s purpose has reached half.
NATO’s eastward expansion and the United States’ military deployment in Eastern European countries have always been regarded by Russia as a major hidden danger to its national security, and it is also a deadlock of mutual distrust between Russia and the West. After the Ukrainian crisis, the United States and NATO countries frequently held large-scale military exercises in Eastern Europe, the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea, constantly challenging Russia’s bottom line. Russia also urgently needs to shock the other side through similar means to show its military strength in order to maintain the geopolitical balance of power in this region. Although it is helpless, it is also reasonable.
[Background link]
According to Russian media reports, the "Western" series of military exercises was inherited from the Soviet Union. At that time, it was a large-scale strategic military exercise held by the Soviet Union in the western border area with more weapons and equipment. In 1999, after NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia, Russia resumed this series of military exercises.
The "Western" series of military exercises held under the framework of Russia-Belarus Union countries began in 2009, and it is the largest among the military exercises held between Russia-Belarus Union countries. Russian official news shows that this series of military exercises is held every two years.
The background of the "Western-2017" joint military exercise superimposed on the Ukrainian crisis and the deterioration of relations between Russia, Europe and Russia and the United States is even more interesting. (Reporter Wang Moying, Zhao Yan, editor Liang Yan, Wang Fengfeng)
Russian Deputy Defense Minister: The "West-2017" military exercise is not an excuse for NATO to deploy troops on the Russian border.