In a nightly video address on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called again on Belarusian authorities to dismantle relay stations that Ukraine says are assisting Russian drone attacks. Zelenskiy said Kyiv had identified four relay stations on Belarusian territory that it believes are being used to facilitate Russian military operations.
He urged Belarus to remove the equipment and warned that Ukraine is monitoring facilities it believes support Moscow's war effort. "Belarus still has time to dismantle this equipment," Zelenskiy said in the address.
The president also said Ukraine was aware of Belarusian factories that he said were working for Russia and contributing to the conflict. Zelenskiy's comments followed a similar public appeal on Friday, when he said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had roughly a week to remove the relay equipment and cautioned that Ukraine could take action if the installations were not removed.
Belarus has remained one of Russia's closest allies since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Kremlin used Belarusian territory as a staging ground during the initial phase of the invasion. Lukashenko, who has led Belarus since 1994, has repeatedly stated he does not want deeper involvement in the conflict, though Minsk continues to maintain close political and military ties with Moscow.
Zelenskiy also drew attention to Belarus' role in energy supplies to Russia. He said gasoline shipments from Belarus to Russia rose thirteenfold in the first five months of the year compared with the same period in 2025, while diesel exports tripled. "Unfortunately, this helps Russia adapt to pressure and does not bring peace any closer," he said.
Separately, Ukraine has stepped up medium- and long-range drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure in recent months as part of an effort to weaken Moscow's military capabilities. Zelenskiy's public statements connect the relay stations and industrial support he described in Belarus to that broader campaign.
The appeal to Belarus represents the second consecutive day Zelenskiy has publicly pressed Minsk over its perceived role in supporting Russian operations. He framed his comments both as a demand for action and as a warning that Kyiv is prepared to respond if the relay equipment and other facilities believed to be aiding Russia are not removed.
Key facts
- Ukraine says it identified four relay stations in Belarus that are assisting Russian drone attacks.
- Zelenskiy warned Belarus it still has time to dismantle the equipment and previously gave Lukashenko about a week to act, warning of possible Ukrainian measures if ignored.
- Belarusian fuel shipments to Russia reportedly surged - gasoline up thirteenfold and diesel exports tripling in the first five months of the year versus the same period in 2025.