Zelensky: Russia plans ballistic missile launchers in Belarus to strike western Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Saturday that Russia's military ambitions in Belarus extend beyond deploying drone relay stations — Moscow also wants to position ballistic missile launchers there for strikes against western Ukraine.

"Is there a threat of strikes and increased attacks on the western part of our state? Absolutely. Is Russia preparing for this? I think, yes," Zelensky told journalists in an online briefing. He stated that Russia is seeking to use Belarusian territory as a platform for intensified long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure far from the front line.

Escalation threat to western Ukraine

The warning marks a significant escalation of the threat posed by the Russia-Belarus military alliance. While drone relay deployments in Belarus have been previously reported, the addition of ballistic missile systems would dramatically expand Russia's ability to strike targets throughout western Ukraine.

Ukraine's western regions, including cities like Lviv, have so far been less frequently targeted than areas closer to the front, though they have experienced periodic Russian missile and drone strikes. The deployment of ballistic missile systems in Belarus would reduce warning times and complicate Ukraine's air defense.