Ukraine Warns Belarus Against Joining Russian Aggression
Al Jazeera
Ukraine warned Belarus against participation in Russia's invasion, with President Zelenskyy reporting suspicious military activity and vowing to respond. As Russian drone and missile attacks continued across Ukraine, Zelenskyy described a 'brutal attack' on Kherson and reported strikes in multiple regions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated a warning to Belarus not to be drawn into Russia's invasion, after reporting unusual military activity near their common border.
In a video address shared on social media Saturday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to respond, but did not provide details about the suspicious activity along sections of the border.
“We are closely recording everything and maintaining control of the situation,” he said, adding that “everyone being drawn into any aggressive actions against Ukraine must understand” that the country is ready to defend its sovereignty.
Last month, Zelenskyy warned Minsk against becoming entangled in the conflict, asserting that Moscow would try to involve the country in the war. The Ukrainian leader reported that new roads and artillery positions were being set up along the border, and accused Russia of using apartment buildings in Belarus to launch attacks to penetrate Ukraine's defenses in December.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, its troops crossed into Ukraine from Belarus on their way to Kyiv. However, Belarus has not directly taken part in combat.
'Brutal attack'
In his address, Zelenskyy also said the southern city of Kherson had suffered a “brutal attack,” with drones targeting civilian vehicles. Ukrainian media reported at least two people were killed in a strike on a minibus in the Dniprovskyi district.
He also reported attacks in Dnipro, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv, and said a drone had hit an energy infrastructure facility but power had been restored.
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said it was advancing on the front line and had taken control of the village of Myropillia in Sumy region on Saturday, according to Reuters. Earlier Wednesday, it said it had taken Novodmytrivka, north of Kostiantynivka in the eastern Donetsk region.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskii said Russian troops were advancing toward Kostiantynivka, which lies within a “fortress belt” area heavily defended by Ukrainian forces. He noted that Russian attacks had increased significantly in April.
Ukrainian officials also reported that Russia launched more than 400 drones on Friday. In turn, Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Tuapse port for the fourth time in 16 days, part of what Zelenskyy described on Wednesday as “a new phase in the use of Ukrainian weapons to limit Russia's war potential.”
