May 15 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Russia was trying to draw Belarus further into its war in Ukraine and was evaluating plans to attack northern Ukraine or a NATO country from Belarusian territory.
“We continue to document Russia’s attempts to draw Belarus further into the war against Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app after meeting military and intelligence officials.
He said Ukraine knew of additional contacts between Russia and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to persuade him to participate in ‘new aggressive Russian operations’.
“Russia is considering plans for operations 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,” he said, without providing further details.
Belarus is bordered by Ukraine to the south and NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia to the north and west.
There was no immediate response to Zelenskiy’s comments from Moscow or Minsk. Moscow does not disclose its military plans in Ukraine, which are classified as state secrets.
Continues after advertising
Lukashenko, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, allowed his territory to be used for part of Russia’s invasion of its smaller neighbor in February 2022, although he did not send Belarusian troops to fight there.
Minsk has since agreed to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons and Oreshnik hypersonic missiles on its territory.
Zelenskiy said last month that Ukraine had information that Russia was making preparations that showed it would once again try to involve Belarus in its more than four-year war.
‘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.
Zelenskiy said he had instructed Ukraine’s defense forces to prepare a response plan and strengthen defenses in the northern regions of Chernihiv and Kiev.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka)
Continues after advertising
