For the second consecutive day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on neighboring Belarus to take down relay stations that he claims are playing a direct role in facilitating Russian drone strikes against Ukrainian regions.
Belarus, led by longtime President Alexander Lukashenko, has stood as one of Russia’s closest partners throughout the more than four-year conflict with Ukraine. The country allowed Russia to use its soil as a launching point for the February 2022 invasion.
Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994, has repeatedly insisted he does not wish to become more deeply entangled in the war. However, Zelenskiy has pushed Belarus to demonstrate through action that it will not actively back Russia’s military campaign.
Without mentioning Lukashenko by name, Zelenskiy addressed the matter in his nightly video message, making an indirect reference to Lukashenko’s disputed return to power. He stated that Ukraine has identified four relay stations on Belarusian soil that are supporting Russian military operations.
“Belarus still has time to dismantle this equipment. We also know about every factory in Belarus that works for Russia and supports the war,” Zelenskiy said.
He added, “Ukraine does not want this and we have warned the de facto leadership of Belarus which has influence over these developments.”
The previous Friday, Zelenskiy had given what he described as a week’s worth of time for the relay equipment to be removed, and he attached a clear warning to that deadline.
“If he doesn’t do it, we’ll do it,” Zelenskiy said on Friday, without providing further detail on what that action might look like.
In his most recent comments, Zelenskiy also turned attention to Belarus’s oil refining industry, arguing it is contributing to Russia’s ability to wage war. He said that between January and May, gasoline exports from Belarus to Russia grew by 13 times compared to the same stretch of time the previous year, while diesel exports tripled.
“Unfortunately, this helps Russia adapt to pressure and does not bring peace any closer,” Zelenskiy said. “It should be the opposite: peace should be brought closer.”
Ukraine’s armed forces have been conducting a sustained campaign of medium and long-range drone strikes, with Russia’s oil infrastructure as a primary target, as part of a broader strategy to weaken Moscow’s ability to sustain its war effort.
