photo: Davis Klavinš / Flickr/Diesel trains DR1B and DR1P at the Lida railway station, Belarus
Poland has fully closed its border with Belarus, citing risks linked to Russian-Belarusian military drills. The decision halts rail and road crossings indefinitely, threatening European-Asian transport routes and causing major challenges for carriers.
Poland has announced the complete closure of its border with Belarus, including all rail and road crossings. The government justified the move on the basis of security threats linked to Russian-Belarusian military exercises. Although the drills officially ended on 16 September, the border remains sealed until further notice. A spokesperson for Poland’s Ministry of the Interior admitted that the closure poses significant challenges for carriers but insisted operations will resume only once the frontier is fully secured.
Border Closure Threatens Transport Between Europe and Asia
The shutdown affects not only bilateral transport between Poland and Belarus, but also rail freight flows between Europe and Asia. No alternative routes exist with sufficient capacity to replace the Poland–Belarus terminals. Czech carriers are particularly reliant on the Małaszewicze transshipment hub.
Poland’s precautionary stance, reinforced by concerns after Russia's recent drone attack, has unintentionally harmed its own logistics sector. Few anticipated that the closure would continue beyond the end of the military drills. Meanwhile, Belarus has recently taken steps to ease tensions with the United States. Following diplomatic talks with the Trump administration, the Lukashenko regime released 52 political prisoners, including Belarusian and Western nationals.
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At the same time, the United States announced the lifting of sanctions on airline Belavia and the return of its ambassador to Minsk, who had been withdrawn after Belarus supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The closure was also discussed during the European visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who met with his Polish counterpart. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated: "First ensure security, and only then start counting the costs."
Zapad 2025: Real Threat or Exaggeration?
According to Security Magazín, the joint Zapad 2025 drills are largely overstated in media coverage, with limited real threat to Europe. While in 2021 the exercises involved 200,000 troops, this year only 13,000 soldiers participated, as much of Russia’s combat strength is tied down in Ukraine. Despite Moscow showcasing Su-34 and Tu-22M3 bombers and Zircon hypersonic missiles, their practical capabilities remain limited. For instance, Su-34 bombers dropped unguided bombs during the drills, pointing out the shortcomings visible in Russia’s operations in Ukraine.
Zapad 2025 thus appears more as a symbolic show of force than genuine military strength. The Kremlin demonstrates its ability to threaten Europe, yet NATO’s technological edge, modern air defences, and lessons from the war in Ukraine indicate Russia’s actual capabilities are severely constrained. Analysts conclude that Moscow’s main combat capacity now lies in drones and artillery, rather than the heavy equipment displayed.
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Source: Liga.net