Zelenskyy hints at 'Venezuela outcome' for Lukashenko, expert says
Alexander Lukashenko (photo: Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is once again trying to drag Belarus into the war and cautioned Alexander Lukashenko's regime against making mistakes, referencing recent events in Venezuela. Dmytro Zhmailo, executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, explains what is behind the president Zelenskyy's remarks and what Minsk and Moscow are aiming for.
What Russia plans in Belarus
Repeated attempts by Russia to create a threat to Ukraine from Belarusian territory are nothing new, according to the expert.
"When the Russians hit a wall on the front line, when they fail to provoke a crisis, when their advances are minimal, the Belarus topic immediately comes up. It's Oreshnik, then exercises followed by various statements," Zhmailo said.
The main goal is to force Ukraine to keep thousands of troops stationed along the border with Belarus. In this way, the Russians are trying to prevent the Ukrainian Armed Forces from redeploying reserves to the hottest areas, particularly near Pokrovsk or Kostiantynivka, the expert explained.
As Zelenskyy has said, Ukrainian intelligence reports road construction toward Ukraine near the Belarusian border, as well as the setup of artillery positions.
"As for road construction, it won't happen quickly. They're even failing to implement their so-called Azov Ring project in the occupied territories. They're only carrying out patch repairs on the most critical sections. But artillery positions are a part of the game they're playing with us," Dmytro Zhmailo commented.
Signal to Lukashenko
Ukraine's president warned that the nature and consequences of recent events in Venezuela should deter the Belarusian leadership from making mistakes. The society interpreted this message as a hint that Lukashenko could face the same fate as Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, who was abducted by US special services.
According to the expert, Zelenskyy's statement is linked to the Lukashenko regime's continued fueling of anti-Ukrainian hysteria within the country to maintain its grip on power.
"There's hysteria about 'all-powerful Ukrainian special services.' So the president sends a very clear message: such events (like in Venezuela – ed.) could also happen if Ukrainian intelligence is indeed so all-powerful and insidious," Dmytro Zhmailo explained.
In the expert's view, the statement is intended to weaken Minsk's willingness to support Russian plans and to prevent the opening of new hot spots.
"In other words, it's a clear message that what happened in 2022 will not be repeated — no one will wait for an actual crossing of the state border," he stressed.
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