Lukashenko fears backlash, pulls Russia's drills away from Ukraine border, Zelenskyy says
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's regime is afraid of provocations and is conducting military drills far from the Ukrainian border, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The president made the remark while responding to a question about the risk of a renewed Russian offensive through Zhytomyr, Volyn, or Chernihiv regions from Belarus under the cover of joint exercises.
"I think Lukashenko himself is afraid that we in Ukraine will consider the presence of the contingent at the exercises as preparation for offensive actions. He understands, after our corresponding steps in the Kursk direction, what we are capable of if we feel a threat," Zelenskyy said.
According to the president, the latest report from the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine suggests that Russian forces might relocate their training grounds deeper into Belarus to avoid provocations and a potential Ukrainian response.
"I just had the latest report from the Foreign Intelligence Service a couple of days ago, and there was such a signal. But all of this needs to be verified. The risk from Russian drills is, unfortunately, already historically known to us," Zelenskyy added.
He also reminded that Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 began from Belarusian territory following joint military exercises.
As reported earlier, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, commenting on the upcoming Zapad-2025 drills, stated that one of their goals could be the covert formation of offensive troop groupings.
Israeli military analyst David Sharp also noted that if significant Russian forces are redeployed to Belarus for the fall exercises, it could theoretically indicate preparations for a new offensive.
