Lukashenko made a pragmatic move to de-escalate with Ukraine following the ultimatum

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko has taken a limited but notable step back from direct facilitation of Russian strikes on Ukraine, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a firm one-week ultimatum demanding the removal of Russian signal relay stations on Belarusian territory.

The relay equipment, mounted on communication towers near the border in Brest and Gomel regions, had been used to guide Russian Shahed and Gerbera drones toward Ukrainian targets. Zelenskyy warned on 19 June that if Minsk did not disable or remove the systems within a week, Ukraine would act itself. By 22 June, the stations went offline, with Ukrainian officials and border guards confirming a sharp drop in drone activity along the Belarusian frontier.

Zelenskyy issues ultimatum to Lukashenko: dismantle Russian drone retranslators or Ukraine will act

Lukashenko has not publicly confirmed dismantling the equipment, but the halt aligns with his repeated insistence that Belarus does not want to be drawn deeper into the war. In recent days, he disclosed a meeting with Zelenskyy’s representatives in Minsk, where he warned against attempts to pull Belarus into the conflict while calling for “peace and only peace.”

Lukashenko tells visiting Russian officials that “President Zelensky’s” envoys have recently visited him in Minsk, sitting at the same desk — and that he had told the Ukrainians that Belarus wants peace and only peace. https://t.co/CexJUn9uN2 pic.twitter.com/efsNZaWNuD
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) June 25, 2026

Tactical hedging, not a break with Moscow

The move appears to be pragmatic damage control rather than a strategic shift away from Russia. Lukashenko continues to balance relations with both sides: he has announced an upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin to discuss the ultimatum and revealed plans for an extended foreign “business trip,” while assuring continuity of governance in his absence.

Analysts see this as Lukashenko’s effort to avoid escalation with Ukraine amid Russian pressure for greater Belarusian involvement, while preserving the alliance with Moscow. The episode demonstrates Kyiv’s willingness to use direct pressure on Minsk – and Minsk’s sensitivity to such threats – without crossing into open conflict.

As Zelensky’s ultimatum Friday deadline approached, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced a long-term foreign “business trip” abroad, instructing the government to prepare for his extended absence while assuring continuity of governance.

🥔 Against the backdrop of Zelensky’s ultimatum, Lukashenko decided to go on a “long business trip.” pic.twitter.com/GLWVWdlnEZ
— MAKS 26 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) June 24, 2026

Caption: File photo. A handout photo made available by the Belarus Presidential Press Service on 21 May 2026 shows Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (C) greeting personnel at a military base in the Asipovichy district, in Belarus. According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, Russia and Belarus launched joint military exercises on 18 May running until 21 May. The drills, conducted across multiple ‘unprepared’ launch sites within Belarus, focus on practicing the combat use of tactical nuclear weapons. EPA/BELARUS PRESIDENT PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT