Wed May 28 16:03:32 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text, followed by a news article rewritten from the information:

**Summary:**

Belarus has announced it will scale back and relocate its upcoming “Zapad-2025” military exercises with Russia. The number of participating troops will be significantly reduced, and the maneuvers will be moved away from Belarus’s western border. This decision, according to Belarusian officials, is meant to demonstrate Belarus’s “peace-loving” intentions. However, the move comes amid ongoing tensions and concerns from Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states, who have previously expressed worry over potential military build-ups in Belarus. Ukraine’s President Zelensky has previously warned that Russia may use military drills in Belarus as a cover for new attacks.

**News Article:**

**Belarus Scales Back Military Drills with Russia, Citing “Peace-Loving” Intentions**

**Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – May 28, 2025** – Belarus has announced a significant reduction in the scope of its planned “Zapad-2025” military exercises with Russia, scheduled for September. The move includes slashing the number of participating soldiers by almost half and relocating the main maneuvers further into Belarusian territory, away from its western border.

Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin stated that the decision aims to demonstrate the country’s “truly peace-loving position” to allies and partners. General Valery Revenko, head of the Ministry of International Cooperation, confirmed the troop reduction at a security forum in Bishkek. Russian state media initially reported approximately 13,000 soldiers were slated to participate in the drills.

This decision comes amid heightened tensions in the region. Belarus, a key ally of Russia, allowed its territory to be used as a staging ground for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, drawing condemnation from Kyiv, Poland, and the Baltic states. These nations have voiced ongoing concerns about potential military build-ups within Belarus.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously warned that Russia might utilize military exercises in Belarus as a disguise for launching new attacks, a sentiment echoed by observers recalling the large-scale “Zapad-2021” drills, which involved around 200,000 troops shortly before the invasion of Ukraine.

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