Kremlin dismisses Zelensky warning over Belarus military threat

Monday 18 May 2026 - 16:33

By: Dakir Madiha

Kremlin dismisses Zelensky warning over Belarus military threat

The Kremlin has rejected warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia could be preparing military operations from Belarus targeting Ukraine or even NATO territory. Moscow described the claims as politically motivated and aimed at escalating tensions in an already prolonged conflict.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the allegations did not warrant serious consideration. He stated that Belarus remains Russia’s ally within the Union State framework while also stressing its status as a sovereign country. His remarks followed Zelensky’s public statements suggesting increased coordination between Moscow and Minsk on possible future military scenarios.

Zelensky made the claims after security meetings with Ukraine’s top military and intelligence leadership. He said Ukrainian services had documented what he described as renewed Russian efforts to involve Belarus more directly in the war. According to him, contacts had intensified between Russian officials and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with the aim of expanding operational cooperation. He also warned that potential planning could involve northern approaches toward Kyiv and Chernihiv or even actions directed at NATO member states from Belarusian territory.

Ukraine said it had reinforced defensive readiness in northern regions, including Kyiv and Chernihiv, in response to the perceived threat. Officials in Kyiv have previously raised concerns that Belarus could again be used as a staging ground, as it was during the initial phase of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. European security discussions have increasingly focused on the risk of wider escalation, particularly along NATO’s eastern flank bordering Belarus and Russia.