Russia and Belarus are holding military exercises in Belarus, and invited US Army officials and representatives from NATO member states to watch the drills from a platform. The joint exercises began on September 12 and will end this September 16.Called "West 2025," the maneuvers, which take place every four years, involve 13,000 troops this time; far fewer than the 220,000 involved four years ago.
While Moscow and Minsk described the drills as defensive, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called them “very aggressive” and ordered the border with Belarus closed. The exercises featured displays of artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and helicopters. Missile launches from submarines in the Baltic Sea were also on the menu, albeit without foreign observers present.
Once a more cooperative partnership, ties between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Moscow have deteriorated sharply, today resembling the tense standoff of the Cold War. NATO leaders view Russia as a direct security threat, but repeated warnings and condemnations from the Alliance have so far had little effect on the Kremlin.
So, how has a previously constructive relationship between NATO and Russia turned so fractious? Click through this gallery and find out more about why Russia fell out with NATO.