The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has reacted this Thursday to the military maneuvers carried out by Belarus by issuing a new warning to his counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, whom he has pointed out that "he must be in good shape" because "there will be consequences" if he allows himself to be dragged by Russia into the war conflict. "We know how to respond justly," he stressed.
Zelensky explained that Ukraine is strengthening its defenses in the north of the country in the face of "threats" that, he indicated, come from both the Russian province of Bryansk and Belarusian territory. "It is essential to support our people and strengthen protection. That is what we are doing," he stated in a video disseminated on his social networks.
As he detailed, more resources will be deployed on the border and on the axes leading to Chernihiv and Kyiv, up to "the territory of the Belarusian neighbors, whom Russia wants to involve more in this war," as well as from the Bryansk region.
"There is the capacity to work preventively with respect to Russian territories (...) and with respect to the current leader of Belarus, who must be in good shape" and "truly feel that there will be consequences if aggressive actions occur against Ukraine, against our people," Zelensky insisted.
The Ukrainian leader has held Belarus responsible for allowing a Russian attack from its territory in 2022. "We will not forget it," he reiterated, emphasizing that the Ukrainian Armed Forces and intelligence services know "what the threats are and how to respond justly."
At the same time, Zelensky has tried to bring calm to the Ukrainian populations located next to the Belarusian border and has assured that the Army and state institutions have the necessary means to strengthen security and respond to any potential risk.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Kyiv and its allies have been warning of the possibility of Belarus becoming more directly involved in the war, a fear that has gained more strength after new joint military exercises with Russia began this week.
For these maneuvers, Moscow has supplied nuclear ammunition, used this Thursday in the Osipovichi area, in Belarus, under the gaze of a visibly satisfied Lukashenko, who has reiterated that there is no intention of entering into combat with any country, except in the case that the security of the Belarusian state is compromised.