Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last night that Russia is trying to drag Belarus deeper into the war in Ukraine, and is also considering plans to attack northern Ukraine or a NATO country from the territory of Belarus.
"We continue to document Russia's attempts to drag Belarus deeper into the war against Ukraine," Zelensky said on Telegram after a meeting with military and intelligence officials, Reuters reported.
He claims that Ukraine knows of additional contacts between Russia and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to persuade him to join "new Russian aggressive operations."
"Russia is considering plans for operations in the south and north of Belarusian territory - either against the Chernihiv-Kiev direction in Ukraine or against one of the NATO countries directly from the territory of Belarus," Zelensky said.
Lukashenko ceded to Russia the territory of Belarus to be used for part of the attack on Ukraine at the beginning of the war in February 2022, even though the Belarusian army is not fighting there.
Zelensky said in April that Ukraine had intelligence that Russia was making preparations that indicated it would try to drag Belarus back into the war, which has been going on for more than four years.
"Ukraine will undoubtedly defend itself and its people if Alexander Lukashenko makes the wrong decision and decides to support this Russian intention as well," he said.
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