Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a direct warning to the Belarusian government, demanding the removal of Russian military equipment positioned along the border. In an address delivered on the evening of June 20, 2026, Zelenskyy stated that Belarus has one week to dismantle relay stations and drone-launching infrastructure currently assisting Russian forces.
According to the Ukrainian leadership, this equipment has been instrumental in facilitating strikes against the Zhytomyr, Rivne, and Volyn oblasts. “Ukraine has repeatedly signaled that Russia’s involvement of Belarus in this war could lead to extremely dangerous consequences,” Zelenskyy said. He emphasized that Kyiv is monitoring industrial facilities in Belarus that are actively supporting the Russian war effort.
This ultimatum marks one of the most significant escalations in rhetoric between Kyiv and Minsk since the onset of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The warning follows a period of heightened regional tension, characterized by intensified Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and retaliatory drone attacks launched by Ukraine against Russian territory. While the Kremlin has vowed retaliation for recent strikes on Moscow, Zelenskyy maintains that Ukraine’s actions are a direct response to ongoing Russian aggression.