Belarus launches September CSTO exercises, Lithuania enforces flight ban

Belarus has announced the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) “Interaction-2025” exercises, which are to take place in September.

The Gaze reports on this, referring to Ukrinform, citing BelTA.

It is expected that the Interaction-2025 exercises, scheduled for early September, will take place at two training grounds in the Vitebsk region – Losvida and Lepelsky.

“The peculiarity of these exercises is that their plans are closely linked to the plans for the joint strategic exercises of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, ”West-2025," said Andrey Serdyukov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff.

He added that more than 5,000 military personnel and about 1,000 pieces of military equipment will take part in the CSTO exercises.

According to him, these exercises will be a key event in the operational and combat training of the CSTO. In addition, special exercises will be held using reconnaissance forces and means under the name “Search-2025,” as well as with the forces and means of logistical support of the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces — “Echelon-2025.”

The Gaze previously reported that the Russian and Belarusian armies are preparing to conduct joint strategic exercises on the territory of Belarus from September 12 to 16.

On the eve of the Russian-Belarusian exercises “West-2025,” Lithuania decided to close its airspace along part of the border with Belarus. This decision was made by the Ministry of Transport and Communications at the request of the country's Ministry of Defense.

The closure of the airspace is motivated by security issues and threats to civil aviation, in particular due to possible border violations by drones, as well as the need to create conditions for the Lithuanian army to respond to such incidents.

The flight ban will remain in effect until October 1, 2025, but it may be extended if the threat of border violations by drones persists.

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