Russia scraps big Zapad military drills because of Ukraine war

Britain's defence ministry said in its daily intelligence update on X, formerly Twitter, last week that it believed Russia would not hold the exercises this year because it did not have enough troops and equipment to stage them while fighting the war, now in its 19th month.

Russia has scrapped its huge Zapad military drills this year because of the war in Ukraine, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying on Monday. "No, this year we are having exercises in Ukraine," state news agency RIA quoted Shoigu as saying in reply to a question.

Russia last staged the Zapad (West) drills with its ally Belarus in September 2021, five months before its invasion of Ukraine. It said then that 200,000 troops were taking part. Britain's defence ministry said in its daily intelligence update on X, formerly Twitter, last week that it believed Russia would not hold the exercises this year because it did not have enough troops and equipment to stage them while fighting the war, now in its 19th month.