KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, June 19, urged Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to remove Russian military equipment that Kyiv says is being used to support attacks on Ukraine, warning that Ukraine would take action if the equipment was not dismantled within a week. Zelenskyy said the equipment included relay stations located in Belarus that Ukraine believes assist Russian drone operations.
Zelenskyy said the stations were being used to help guide Russian strikes and called on Belarus to remove them. “Belarus should remove what helps Russia strike Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, according to comments reported by Reuters. He did not provide details on the exact locations or technical specifications of the equipment.
The Ukrainian president’s statement followed earlier warnings from Kyiv that Russia was expanding the use of Belarusian territory for military purposes. In March, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence had reported plans for Russia to establish long-range drone control stations in Belarus, though those claims were not independently verified.
Belarus has allowed Russian forces to use its territory during the conflict, including during the escalation that followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Belarusian government has rejected claims that it is directly participating in attacks against Ukraine and has said it maintains its own security interests.
Kyiv has repeatedly raised concerns about military cooperation between Moscow and Minsk. Ukrainian officials have said Belarusian territory has been used to support Russian operations, while Belarusian authorities have said they do not intend to become a party to the conflict. Details about the current status of the alleged relay stations remain unclear.
The issue comes as Ukraine continues to monitor activity along its northern border with Belarus. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was strengthening defenses in northern regions because of concerns about Russia’s potential use of routes through Belarus. Ukrainian officials have not reported a confirmed new Russian ground offensive from Belarus.
Russia has not publicly confirmed the presence of the relay stations described by Zelenskyy. Belarusian officials had not announced any decision to remove such equipment as of Sunday, and details of any response from Minsk remained unclear.
On Sunday, Ukrainian officials continued to call for Belarus to avoid further military cooperation with Russia. The Belarusian government has maintained relations with Moscow while facing international pressure over its role in the regional security situation.
