President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Russia is still trying to draw Belarus into a full-scale war against Ukraine and, according to his assessment, is preparing a new plan for this. The head of state announced this in a commentary to journalists, RBC-Ukraine reports. According to Zelenskyy, the threat of strikes and increased attacks on the western part of the country persists, and the Kremlin, as he believes, is already preparing to ramp them up.
Drone repeaters and a corridor that is 'not enough' for Moscow
“Is the Russian Federation preparing for this? I think so. Why are they constantly dragging Belarus in? Because we know that they are deploying repeaters on the territory of Belarus to use this corridor for drones. This is not enough for them,” Zelenskyy emphasized. According to him, the Ukrainian side has information about the deployment of equipment on Belarusian territory used to control unmanned aerial vehicles and views this as one of the channels for intensifying strikes against western regions.
Ballistics as a new level of threat
The President explained that, in his opinion, the Kremlin needs Alexander Lukashenko’s support to deploy other types of weapons on the territory of Belarus, including ballistic missiles. “Of course, deploying ballistics in Belarus is a threat primarily to the western part of our state. Putin has such thoughts. Plus, this is the direct involvement of Belarus in this war,” Zelenskyy warned. He also noted that the deployment of such weaponry would be dangerous for Belarus itself.
Context: Belarus's role since the beginning of the full-scale invasion
Recall that on February 24, 2022, Russian troops attacked Ukraine, including from the territory of Belarus, from where they advanced on the Kyiv region. Russia used Belarusian airfields, military facilities, and airspace to launch strikes. The Lukashenko regime, according to Kyiv, provides Moscow with logistical support, including the repair of military equipment and the use of Belarusian infrastructure. At the same time, the Belarusian armed forces have not officially entered the war as a direct party to hostilities.
Additional statements from Kyiv and Minsk
According to Ukrainian authorities, equipment helping to control Russian strike drones is being deployed on Belarusian territory, and Belarusian enterprises are supplying Russia with equipment and components for arms manufacturing. Recently, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine revealed Belarus's role in a Russian drone attack near Yahodyn. In parallel, Minsk accused Ukraine of a deliberate attack on a truck in the Bryansk region, indicating continued mutual accusations of escalation between the parties.
