'Belarus has time to stop' - Zelensky warns Minsk over alleged role in Russian drone strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Belarus on Saturday that assisting Russia's military operations against Ukraine could push Minsk deeper into the conflict, citing what he described as evidence of Belarusian support for Russian drone attacks.
In a video, Zelensky claimed Ukraine had identified Russian-linked equipment installed on Belarusian territory near the two countries' border.
"Ukraine has repeatedly signalled that dragging Belarus into this war could lead to extremely dangerous consequences. In particular, we have recorded that special equipment has been installed along our border on the territory of Belarus, helping the Russians launch drone strikes against us, against our territory. Against our energy infrastructure, our railways, ordinary cities, and our villages. Belarus has time to dismantle this equipment," he said.
According to Zelensky, the equipment includes four repeaters located in Belarus's Gomel and Brest regions that allegedly assist in guiding drone attacks on Ukrainian targets.
The Ukrainian president also accused Belarusian industry of contributing to Russia's war effort through the supply of military-related components and fuel.
"We also know about every factory in Belarus that works for Russia and works for this war. Every single enterprise that supplies components for Russian weapons, armoured vehicles, missile systems, as well as the enterprises that supply Russia with fuel for the war. This is all dragging Belarus into the war. Ukraine does not want this, and we have actually warned the leadership of Belarus, which influences the relevant events," Zelensky said.
The warning follows a separate dispute earlier this week, when Russia and Belarus accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone strike on a bus transporting Belarusian schoolchildren in Russia's Bryansk region.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
