Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of using residential blocks in its ally Belarus to strike Ukrainian targets and bypass Kyiv’s defensive systems.
Zelensky made these claims on Friday, following intelligence reports indicating that Moscow may have deployed new hypersonic ballistic missiles with nuclear capability at a former airbase in eastern Belarus. The move is seen as an effort to strengthen Russia’s ability to strike targets in Europe.
“We observe that the Russians are attempting to bypass our interceptor defense positions via neighboring Belarusian territory. This is dangerous for Belarus,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram after a military staff meeting.
“It is regrettable that Belarus is surrendering its sovereignty in favor of Russia’s aggressive ambitions,” he added.
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian intelligence has observed Belarus placing equipment on residential areas near the border, including on apartment buildings, to aid Russian forces in their attacks.
“Antennas and other devices have been installed on the roofs of ordinary five-story residential buildings, assisting Russian ‘Shahed’ drones in targeting objectives in our western regions,” he said.
“This is a complete disregard for human life, and it is crucial for Minsk to stop playing with this,” Zelensky emphasized.
Neither the Russian nor the Belarusian Ministries of Defense immediately responded to requests for comment.
