Russia is increasingly using positions in Belarus for its attacks against Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last night after a meeting with the country's military leadership, quoted by DPA and BTA.
This refers to drone and missile attacks, he wrote on “Facebook“, adding that with this new tactic Russia is trying to bypass Ukraine's defense lines.
“This is risky for Belarus“, Zelensky wrote. "It is a pity that Belarus is surrendering its sovereignty to Russia's aggressive ambitions," he added.
The Ukrainian president said that proactive defense against this new line of attack was difficult because Russia had installed all the equipment for strikes against Ukraine on residential buildings.
Antennas and other guidance systems for attacking targets in Ukraine were already effectively located on the roofs of five-story apartment blocks, he said, citing Ukrainian intelligence.
“This is an absolute disregard for human life. "Minsk must stop playing these games," Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine's air defenses had been instructed to adjust their strategy.
At the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Belarus provided its territory as a "springboard for an ultimately unsuccessful offensive on Kiev."
Belarusian troops are not actively participating in the fighting, but the potential threat has kept significant Ukrainian forces on the common border.