Zelenskyy warns Russia is ‘preparing something’ in Belarus this summer

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia may be preparing a military offensive from Belarus under the pretense of upcoming joint military exercises.

Belarus is set to host the Zapad 2025 drills this summer as part of the ongoing military cooperation between the two neighboring countries—a partnership that dates back to 2009.

"Look at Belarus—this summer, Russia is preparing something there under the guise of military exercises. This is how its new attacks usually start. But where this time? I don't know. Ukraine? Lithuania? Poland? God forbid. But we all have to be prepared. All our institutions are open to cooperation," Zelenskyy said during the Three Seas Summit, according to Suspilne.

For years, Belarus has housed Russian ballistic missiles, though its leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has consistently declined to involve his own troops in the war in Ukraine.

The last Zapad drills, held in 2021, involved 200,000 participants and were widely seen as a precursor to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

(QG - Source: Kyiv Independent — Picture : © Unsplash)