Belarus building roads to Ukrainian border and artillery positions – Zelenskyy

In a social media post, Zelenskyy stated he had instructed appropriate channels to warn Belarus’s de facto leadership about Ukraine’s readiness to defend its land and independence.

“The nature and consequences of recent events in Venezuela should serve as a warning to the Belarusian leadership against making mistakes,” he wrote.

Zelenskyy received a report from Commander-in-Chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi indicating that Russian forces are attempting to regroup, most likely to compensate for a shortage of personnel.

“In this context, it is becoming increasingly clear why military activity in Belarus has increased,” he said.

The role of Belarus in the Russian war against Ukraine

Belarus has not sent its own troops into Ukraine but has provided its territory for Russian forces to launch attacks, hosted Russian soldiers for medical treatment, and conducted joint military exercises with Russia during the full-scale war.

Ukraine’s Justice Ministry has stated that Belarus’s Defense Ministry is acting in the interests of Russia’s military-political leadership and contributed to the preparation and execution of armed aggression against Ukraine.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko actively supports Vladimir Putin’s policy. Belarus has also been accused of involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children from eastern Ukraine. Lukashenko described it as “rehabilitation” and said he would continue the practice. He frequently echoes Russian propaganda narratives demonizing Western countries.

On April 1, Lukashenko declared that Belarus is preparing for war because “there is no point in hoping for peaceful times” now.