Two individuals wearing US military uniforms were photographed attending the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises Zapad-2025 on Monday 15 Sep. Belarusian DM Viktor Khrenin told the two men wearing US BDUs that they could look at "whatever is of interest for you." Khrenin described the presence of the Americans at the training ground in Belarus as a surprise. "Who would have thought how the morning of another day of the Zapad-2025 exercise would begin?" the Belarusian Defence Minister said. The ministry issued a statement that noted the participation of US officers among representatives from 23 countries, including two other NATO members " Turkiye and Hungary. The ministry released footage showing two US officers in uniform thanking Khrenin for the invitation and shaking his hand. "We will show whatever is of interest for you. Whatever you want. You can go there and see, talk to people," Khrenin told them. The two men in US military uniforms declined to speak to journalists.
Belarus, a close ally of Russia, allowed Moscow to use its territory to send tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in Feb 2022. The Zapad exercises in Belarus are taking place at training grounds located deep inside the country or in its eastern regions. NATO remains on high alert over the exercises launched on 12 Sep and Russian drones recently violated Polish and Romanian airspace. The US lifted sanctions on Belarusian state-owned airline Belavia, while dictator-for-life Alexander Lukashenko released 52 political prisoners, including an EU delegate. European counterintelligence agencies recently dismantled a Belarusian KGB agent network operating on the continent. Nota Bene: The US military uniforms worn by the two individuals in the photo appear to be the outdated woodland camouflage BDUs. In another photo, the two individuals are seen with their hands in their pockets. These two pale-looking "officers" attended a military exercise without accompanying NCOs, "battle-rattle," or even water canteens, and then declined to speak with journalists.
