KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has given Belarus one week to remove relay equipment on its territory that he said is being used to guide Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, or Kyiv will act to disable it itself.
Zelenskyy made the demand during a joint media briefing in Kyiv on Friday with Honduran President Nasry Asfura, according to Ukrainian officials and multiple news outlets. He accused Belarus of facilitating Russian strikes through communications relay systems mounted on towers near the border.
"There are relay stations on those towers," Zelenskyy said. "He can remove them. If he truly does not want to be part of the war, let him remove that equipment and switch it off."
He added that one week would be sufficient time for Belarusian authorities to dismantle the equipment. "I think a week will be enough for him to do that. … If he doesn’t do it, we will," Zelenskyy stated.
The equipment is located in Belarusian regions bordering Ukraine, where relay systems allegedly help direct Russian drones, Ukrainian authorities said. Details on the exact number or precise technical specifications of the systems remain limited in public reporting.
Belarus has long been a close ally of Russia and allowed its territory to be used for the initial full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Minsk has denied direct involvement in subsequent military operations but has provided logistical and other support to Moscow.
As of Sunday, there was no immediate public response from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko or his government to the ultimatum. Belarusian officials have previously rejected Ukrainian accusations of involvement in attacks.
The latest development comes amid ongoing Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Ukrainian forces have reported intercepting many such attacks, but civilian casualties and damage continue to be reported from both sides in the conflict.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Belarus to distance itself from Russia's actions in the conflict. Ukrainian officials said the relay equipment poses a direct threat to border regions.
The situation along the Ukraine-Belarus border remains tense but relatively stable compared to other fronts, with no major ground incursions reported in recent months. Further details on any potential Ukrainian response or Belarusian reaction were not immediately available.
