Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, February 26, 2026. PAVEL BEDNYAKOV/AP
Belarus continues to militarize its border with Ukraine, raising Ukrainian fears of a repeat of Russia's February 2022 offensive targeting Kyiv, which lies less than 100 kilometers away. On April 17, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on his Telegram channel: "According to intelligence, road construction in areas leading to Ukraine and the establishment of artillery positions are going on in the Belarusian border area. We believe that Russia will once again try to involve Belarus in its war." Four years ago, the Belarusian army did not participate directly in the invasion, instead allowing the Russian military to use its territory to attack Ukraine. In an effort to deter his Belarusian counterpart, Zelensky reminded him of "recent events in Venezuela," referring to the abduction of Nicolas Maduro by US special forces on January 3.
Zelensky had already drawn attention on March 23 to Russia's planned installation of four long-range drone control bases on Belarusian territory. This equipment is intended to facilitate the daily strikes carried out by the Russian army on Ukrainian soil.
