Russia's 2017 Zapad Military Exercises Begin With Belarus

NBC News: Russia Kicks Off Huge Zapad 2017 Military Exercises With Belarus

LONDON — Russia kicked off what Western powers expect to be the country's largest military exercise since the Cold War on Thursday, a massive mobilization of forces that has triggered unease among U.S. officials and their allies in Eastern Europe.

Land, sea and air units will be taking part in war games across a huge area encompassing western Russia, Belarus, the Baltic Sea and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Moscow says fewer than 13,000 troops are participating, meaning they don't have to invite international observers. But NATO members and Western military experts believe as many as 100,000 troops may be involved in the drills.

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More News On Russia's Zapad 2017 Military Exercises Begin With Belarus

Zapad-2017 strategic exercise kicks off in Russia and Belarus -- TASS
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Russia launches Zapad war games in Belarus --

BBC
Russia kicks off huge war games on Europe's borders -- CBS News/AP
Russia begins Belarus war games codenamed West 2017 which are feared to be a prelude to an INVASION of Ukraine -- Daily Mail
Russia, Belarus Kick Off Military Exercises Amid Tensions With West -- RFE
Zapad games 'peaceful' and 'defensive,' Russia assures West -- DW
Zapad-2017 drills in Belarus to involve 98 Russian tanks -- TASS
Nato alert as Russia begins mass war games -- Financial Times
Jitters in Europe as Russia-Belarus war games set to begin -- Washington Post
Putin Starts War Game on NATO Frontier, Alarming Wary Europe -- Bloomberg
Zapad 2017 drill – what does Russia want? -- DW
Why Are 100000 Russian Troops Headed Straight For NATO's Borders? -- Task & Purpose
Russian war game to 'intimidate' Nato allies -- EUobserver
Over 80 observers attend Zapad 2017 exercise -- Belarus News