EditZelenskyy issues ultimatum to Lukashenko: dismantle Russian drone retranslators or Ukraine will act
Ukraine has long accused Belarus of providing logistical and technical support to Russia, including allowing its territory to be used for drone operations and missile launches
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has delivered a clear ultimatum to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, giving Minsk one week to remove or disable Russian retranslators on Belarusian territory that are being used to guide drone strikes against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. If Belarus fails to act, Ukraine will do it itself.
Speaking during a media briefing in Kyiv on Friday, Zelenskyy pointed to communications equipment installed on towers in Belarus’s Gomel and Brest regions along the Ukrainian border. These retranslators, he said, help Russian forces correct the flight paths of drones targeting Ukrainian cities, villages, energy facilities, and railways in regions such as Zhytomyr, Rivne, and Volyn.
“A week will be enough for him to do this,” Zelenskyy stated. “If he doesn’t, we will.”
The warning was reinforced in Zelenskyy’s evening address on Saturday, where he emphasized that Belarus has time to dismantle the equipment and that continuing to host it constitutes direct involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Broader demands on Minsk
Zelenskyy also highlighted Belarus’s growing role as a supplier to the Russian military. He noted that gasoline deliveries from Belarus to Russia increased 13-fold in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, while diesel supplies tripled. Belarusian factories producing components for Russian armoured vehicles, missile systems, and fuel are further entangling Minsk in the conflict, he said.“
Belarus should do the things its actual leadership is talking about through unofficial channels so that we in Ukraine truly see that Belarus is really against this war,” Zelenskyy stated. “This war must be ended. Peace is needed.”
Lukashenko’s recent tone shift
The ultimatum comes just days after Lukashenko appeared to soften his rhetoric toward Ukraine. On 16 June, in an interview with Al Arabiya, the Belarusian leader apologized to Zelenskyy for past harsh statements.
“If Volodymyr was offended, I apologize to him for my words. I should not have said them, considering that he is at war,” Lukashenko said. He added that Belarus poses no military threat to Ukraine and that “from Belarus’s side, and especially from my side personally, there will be no military actions to expect.”
In May, Lukashenko had threatened to strike a “very serious” target in Ukraine, claiming Minsk possessed the coordinates.
Context of Belarusian involvement
Ukraine has long accused Belarus of providing logistical and technical support to Russian forces, including allowing its territory to be used for drone operations and missile launches. The retranslators in question are described as signal relay systems that improve the accuracy of Russian Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles striking Ukrainian rear areas.
Analysts note that Zelenskyy’s public warning represents a significant escalation in direct pressure on Minsk, testing Lukashenko’s recent conciliatory signals against the reality of Belarus’s continued material support for Russia’s war effort.
As the one-week deadline approaches, attention in Kyiv and Minsk will focus on whether Belarus moves to dismantle the equipment – or whether the war will spill over.
The article in Ukrainian by EUalive’s partner European Pravda can be found here.
Caption: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (L) attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC) in Astana, Kazakhstan, 29 May 2026. The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) involves five core member states that make up the union – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, as well as several observer states and strategic partner countries that attend and participate in its summits and forums. EPA/ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL
Updated: June 21, 2026 - 06:54
