Zapad: What can we learn from Russia's latest military exercise?

In addition to conducting the exercise, it is also about the opaque nature. Supposedly if a military exercise involves more than 13,000 personnel, a country needs to invite foreign officials to observe for security assurances.

Russia claims it has a hair under the required amount at 12,700. Some German intelligence officials claim the actual number is over 100,000. This may be politically troubling given today's more turbulent times.