Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is preparing responses to possible Russian operations launched from Belarus, amid mounting concern in Kyiv over the risk of renewed pressure along the country’s northern border.
Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence services had assessed Russian planning scenarios focused on the Chernihiv–Kyiv axis following a meeting of Ukraine’s military command structure.
“For every possible enemy scenario, we are preparing responses if the Russians truly decide to expand their aggression,” he said.
He added that Ukraine was also preparing additional diplomatic pressure measures targeting Belarus, which Kyiv fears could be used as a staging ground for further escalation by Moscow.
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Russia has recently conducted large-scale military exercises involving Belarusian participation, including drills that reportedly incorporate nuclear-capable forces and support units.
The exercises have renewed Ukrainian concerns that Belarus could once again serve as a launch platform for operations against northern Ukraine, as it did during the opening phase of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Zelensky said Ukraine’s foreign ministry had been instructed to develop additional diplomatic measures to increase pressure on Minsk, while also strengthening defences along the northern frontier.
“Our task now is to strengthen our state so that none of the five Russian scenarios for expanding the war through northern Ukraine can succeed,” he said.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, Zelensky also said Russian forces currently lacked sufficient troop strength to mount a large-scale renewed offensive through Belarus, though he warned Moscow could instead pursue alternative forms of escalation.
He suggested Russia could adopt “political decisions of a different format,” including tactics similar to those used in other contested regions such as Transnistria.
Ukraine has also signalled an expansion of long-range strike operations against Russian infrastructure.
Zelensky said Ukrainian forces were intensifying what he described as “long-range sanctions” against military and energy targets deep inside Russia.
Ukrainian drone strikes have increasingly targeted oil refineries, logistics hubs and military infrastructure in recent weeks, aiming to disrupt Russia’s supply chains and reduce its ability to sustain frontline operations.
According to Ukrainian military officials, multiple Russian energy facilities have been struck since the beginning of the month, including refineries and fuel infrastructure, some of which were forced to suspend operations following damage.
Commanders also reported continued strikes on ammunition depots, command posts and drone control facilities as part of a broader campaign to degrade Russia’s operational capacity.
The developments underline a widening phase of the war in which both sides are increasingly targeting infrastructure far beyond the immediate front line, as tensions remain high along Ukraine’s northern border.
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