Poland launches its largest military drills as Russia, Belarus set to hold exercises
Poland launched its largest military exercise of the year, Iron Defender-25, on Sept. 1, the country's Armed Forces General Command reported.
The exercises, spanning land, sea, air, and cyberspace, involve about 30,000 Polish and allied troops and 600 pieces of equipment, taking place amid mounting security risks for Warsaw.
Poland shares a 418-kilometer (260-mile) border with Belarus, where Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization drills began on Aug. 31, and with Russia's heavily militarized Kaliningrad exclave.
Large-scale Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 exercises are also scheduled for September.
"The main goal of the exercise is to verify the interoperability of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland in a multi-domain environment," the Polish military said. "Lessons learned from the ongoing war in Ukraine will also be incorporated into the training."
The drills will assess the entire range of modern warfare, from ground combat to cyber operations.
Poland's Defense Ministry stressed the integration of land, air, naval, and cyber operations, "which directly contributes to strengthening NATO's deterrence posture and operational capabilities."
Poland has been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, sending tanks, heavy weapons, and ammunition.
The country's location places it on the front line of any potential NATO-Russia confrontation, with Western leaders warning of a broader war in Europe within the next five years.
