'Moscow uses Belarus as a platform to blackmail Europe and attack Ukraine' — Zelenskyy
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Russia uses Belarusian territory to attack Ukraine and to blackmail Europe, including by launching jet-powered Shahed kamikaze drones and maintaining strike communications directly from Belarus, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He said that operators of Russian jet-powered Shahed drones make attacks on Ukraine from Belarus as well, and that the country has effectively been turned by Moscow into a testing ground for shows of force and intimidation of Europe and the world using "Oreshnik" weapons.
The President stressed that Belarus's dependence on Russia is not decreasing but, on the contrary, deepening, creating additional threats to the entire European continent.
For now, sadly, Lukashenko’s white spitz has been granted more rights than the people of Belarus. There was a chance in 2020 to change this. And, I’m sure, there will be another chance.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 25, 2026
But back then, support for Belarusians was simply not enough. And now we all feel how much… pic.twitter.com/U2O7iB9fUT
"Belarusian industry works for Russia's war, and Belarusian trade ties help Putin buy components needed to build threats against all of us in Europe," Zelenskyy said.
He also recalled the events in Belarus in 2020, stressing that at the time the Belarusian people did not receive sufficient international support, and that the consequences of this are being felt by everyone today.
"And now we all feel how much harder, how much more expensive, and how much more dangerous it has become for everyone because of Belarus's dependence on Moscow," the head of state said.
Zelenskyy emphasized that for Europe, it is critically important not to lose any nation that seeks freedom and not to delay decisions.
"Every day, all of us in Europe must work for a strong Europe," the President concluded.
Earlier, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said that his country had deployed the Oreshnik missile system in response to what he described as "Western aggression." According to him, Belarus does not intend to go to war with Western countries, emphasizing that "this will never happen."
About Oreshnik
Oreshnik is believed to be a modified version of the RS-26 Rubezh missile.
According to unofficial reports, its range may reach about 5,500 kilometers, although little information about the missile is available from open sources.
