战时背景下的“西方-2025”演习：俄罗斯的战略适应与北约【RUSI】

COMMENTARYGUEST COMMENTARYWartime Zapad 2025 Exercise:Russias StrategicAdaptation and NATOFabrizio Minniti and Dr Giangiuseppe Pili22 September 202511 Minute ReadRussias Zapad 2025 in Belarus focused on high-leveragecapabilities,contrasting with the high tempo and mass inprevious iterations of the exercises.Zapad 2025 is the 2025 iteration of Russias joint strategic exercise withBelarus,represents a critical inflection point in the evolution of Russianmilitary strategy and force development.Unlike its previous iterations,whichshowcased overt demonstrations of military mass and tempo,Zapad 2025appears as a meticulously calibrated,scaled-down,and geographically-constrained exercise.This is a deliberate and rational adaptation to theimmense human and material costs of the ongoing large-scale war inUkraine and the persistent strain of international sanctions.The exercise worked as a multi-layered instrument of a state in war time,even though not fully mobilised.Politically,it fostered a perception of resolvecontinuity to both domestic and international audiences,strengthening theRussian-Belarusian closeness and deploying calibrated,low-resourcedeterrent messaging.Militarily,it worked a