Putin is pressuring Belarus to open new front against Ukraine
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin (photo: Screenshot)
Russia has increased pressure on Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, demanding that he allow the country's territory to be used to open a new front against Ukraine. The Kremlin is considering using the neighboring state for large-scale drone attacks and hybrid operations against NATO countries, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The article notes that pressure on Minsk has been ongoing since the beginning of this year. The Kremlin is considering a dangerous escalation due to the slowdown of the Russian offensive in Donbas, and Putin needs new points of tension.
According to US and European officials, the Kremlin has specific objectives. Belarusian territory is needed for:
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Continuous drone launches against Ukrainian targets;
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Expanding the front line toward the western regions of Ukraine;
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Diverting Ukrainian Armed Forces reserves from critical areas in the east.
Belarus could also be used for provocations against neighboring Alliance countries. Russia wants to undermine support for Ukraine and test NATO's response. Last summer, Russian drones already entered Polish airspace. Now such operations could become systematic, the media outlet notes.
How the Kremlin is blackmailing the Belarusian leader
Moscow has many levers of influence over Lukashenko, and the main one is money. Former intelligence officers confirm that the Kremlin is using financial pressure.
Most discussions and negotiations on Moscow's behalf are conducted by Ambassador Boris Gryzlov. He communicates directly with Lukashenko. Moscow's main argument is the complete suspension of financial assistance, while the regime in Minsk is critically dependent on these funds.
Article context
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave Belarusian leader Lukashenko one week to remove relay stations for Russian Shahed kamikaze drones from Belarusian territory. The Ukrainian leader said that otherwise, Ukraine would remove the relay stations itself.
In addition, Zelenskyy is demanding that Belarus stop supplying Russia with fuel from the country's oil refineries. According to Kyiv, between January and May, gasoline supplies from Belarus to Russia increased thirteenfold, while diesel fuel supplies tripled compared to last year.
