Kenneth Glad
The dispute concerns equipment Kyiv says is helping Russian attacks from near Ukraine’s northern frontier. Belarus’s role in the war is again under scrutiny.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has accused Belarus of allowing equipment on its territory to support Russian drone attacks against Ukraine, Digi24 reported.
He warned Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to remove the systems within one week. saying if Minsk does not act, Zelensky said Ukraine would do so itself.
Kyiv describes the equipment as relay systems installed on communication towers. According to Zelensky, the systems are used to assist Russian drone operations against Ukraine.
Drone routes raise concern
The allegation focuses on Russian Shahed-type attack drones, which, according to the Romanian outlet, rely on radio communication networks and ground infrastructure during long-distance strikes.
During attacks on Kyiv and northern Ukraine, such drones have often been seen flying close to the Belarusian border before moving toward targets deeper inside Ukraine.
That route matters because Belarus has already played a role in Russia’s war. At the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russian forces used Belarusian territory to launch attacks on Ukraine.
Moscow backs Minsk
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko are expected to raise Zelensky’s warning in their next meeting, writes the Kyiv Independent.
Peskov rejected Kyiv’s position and described it as a threat to Belarus.
“As for the threat itself, of course, it is absolutely aggressive: Interference in the internal affairs of another country and a violation of another country’s sovereignty,” he said
“But we have no doubt that Belarus and the Belarusian leadership are capable of protecting their sovereignty,” he added.
A close Russian ally
Belarus remains one of Moscow’s closest partners. While Lukashenko has not sent Belarusian troops directly into Ukraine, his government has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory and infrastructure during the conflict.
For Kyiv, the communication equipment claim fits a wider concern that Belarus can help Russia without formally entering the war.
For Moscow and Minsk, Ukraine’s warning is being presented as pressure on Belarusian sovereignty rather than a response to alleged military support.
The dispute now gives Putin and Lukashenko another issue to address as Russia continues its drone campaign against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
Sources: Digi24, Kyiv Independent
