Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to dismantle equipment allegedly used by Russia to support attacks on Ukraine, warning that Kyiv may take action if the systems remain in place.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on Friday, Zelenskyy said Russian forces were using signal-boosting and communications equipment located in border areas of Belarus to coordinate military operations against Ukraine. He said Belarus should remove or deactivate the equipment within a week if it does not want to be seen as directly involved in the war.
The Ukrainian president warned that if no action is taken, Ukraine could respond on its own, although he did not elaborate on what measures Kyiv might consider.
Zelenskyy also accused Belarus of becoming a key supplier to Russia’s military effort, particularly through the provision of fuel and petroleum products. He argued that Lukashenko has the authority to halt such support if he chooses to do so.
Meanwhile, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya backed Zelenskyy’s position, saying that if Belarus genuinely seeks peace, it should end its support for Russia’s military campaign and cease facilitating Moscow’s war efforts.
Belarus has been one of Russia’s closest allies since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russian troops used Belarusian territory as a staging ground during the early phases of the war, and Western governments have repeatedly accused Minsk of providing logistical, political, and economic support to Moscow’s military operations.
The European Union and the United States have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Belarus over its support for Russia and its role in facilitating military activities linked to the war. Western officials continue to view Belarus as a critical component of Russia’s regional military infrastructure, despite Minsk’s claims that it is not a direct participant in the conflict.
The latest dispute comes as Ukraine seeks continued military and financial support from its Western allies while intensifying pressure on countries that assist Russian operations. Both the EU and the United States have recently reaffirmed their backing for Ukraine and have urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in meaningful negotiations to end the conflict, although fighting continues along several sections of the front line.
Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian logistics networks, supply routes, and military infrastructure in an effort to slow Moscow’s advances. Ukrainian officials argue that support facilities located outside Russia, including those in Belarus, play an important role in sustaining Russian military operations and therefore remain a significant security concern.