Zelenskyy Demands Belarus Remove Russian Equipment or Ukraine Will Act

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a warning to Belarus, a close ally of Russia, urging the removal of certain signal equipment that Kyiv claims is used by the Kremlin to target Ukraine. He stated that if Belarus does not act, Ukraine will take responsibility for removing the equipment itself, according to Radio Free Europe.

During a press conference held in Kyiv on June 19, Zelenskyy questioned the usefulness of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's claim that he does not want to be involved in the war. He said, "Let him remove this equipment and stop it. I believe a week will be enough for him to do so."

Zelenskyy added, "If he does not do it, we will do it," without providing further details.

He indicated that the signal relay stations are located in two Belarusian regions along the border with Ukraine and are believed to be used by Russian forces to assist in targeting during attacks on Ukrainian civilians, as he described. However, Zelenskyy noted that this information has not been independently verified.

Zelenskyy also addressed Belarusian oil refining facilities, accusing Belarus of becoming one of Russia's main suppliers. He asserted that President Lukashenko has the ability to halt this support.

He stated, "Today, it is the main supplier, or one of the main suppliers, to the Russian army. Specifically Lukashenko, specifically Belarus."

He continued, "Can this be stopped? I am sure it is within his power. He is the one who controls it."

In this context, Kyiv has intensified its strikes on Russian oil infrastructure and storage facilities, targeting sites deep within Russian territory, including areas near Moscow. These attacks have caused severe supply shortages and price increases affecting civilians.

Belarus is a close military ally of Russia and has provided logistical support to Moscow in its war against Ukraine. It has also supported Russia's rhetoric toward NATO but has not joined the full-scale Russian invasion that began in February 2022.

Both Belarus and Russia face harsh sanctions from the United States and Western countries. Meanwhile, Lukashenko has attempted to improve relations with Washington, including through the release of some political prisoners, although many remain incarcerated.

Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and retained power following the 2020 elections, which he declared victorious despite widespread opposition from Belarusian opposition groups and Western nations regarding the election results.

In related developments, Russia has experienced intensified Ukrainian attacks, including a large drone strike on Friday that caused a fire at an oil refinery in Moscow. On Thursday night, Moscow was subjected to a large-scale drone attack, the most significant targeting of the Russian capital in years. The assault resulted in fires within and around the city, affecting a major oil refinery and disrupting operations at the capital’s largest airports, according to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin.

The Wednesday night attack led to an air alert at Sheremetyevo Airport, one of Moscow’s main airports, prompting the evacuation of passengers, crew members, and staff from terminals and aircraft to safe shelters.

Meanwhile, Moscow continues to conduct near-daily strikes on Ukrainian territory, more than four years after the conflict began with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts that have yet to yield a resolution to end the war.