Zelensky claims that Russia has renewed contacts with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with the aim of persuading him to join new forms of aggression. He added that he has the details of those conversations.
Although the Belarusian military has so far not directly participated in the war, its territory has been used for Russian military operations since the beginning of the invasion, including the launch of missiles and drones and as a starting point for an attack on Kiev in 2022.
According to Zelenskiy, due to difficulties on the eastern and southern fronts, Russia is considering new offensive directions towards Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. Those areas have been fortified after the withdrawal of Russian forces, but could still be a vulnerable point if a stronger attack were to follow.
He also warned that Belarus could be used as a platform for potential attacks on neighboring NATO countries. The Suval Corridor, a narrow strip between Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, along the border of Poland and Lithuania, is mentioned as a particularly sensitive point.
Zelensky said that Ukraine will defend itself if Lukashenko decides to support Russian plans, and he ordered the strengthening of defenses in the north of the country and the development of a response plan.
Ukrainian officials have previously warned of increased military activity in Belarus, including the construction of infrastructure and logistics routes in cooperation with Russia, which they say could allow the rapid launch of new operations.
(Vijesti.ba)
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