Russia may be preparing offensive actions in northern Ukraine — from the territory of the Bryansk region to the Chernihiv region. Ukraine is preparing for such a scenario.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky said this in an interview with TSN.
Syrsky says that Putin has ordered the Russian General Staff to consider various options for an offensive operation, including from Belarus, to capture Kyiv and other territories. However, Syrsky himself considers an offensive from Belarus less likely.
"Given recent events, I think that the leadership of Belarus will not dare to use its own territory, give it to the aggressor for use, and as a springboard for conducting an offensive operation," says Syrsky.
At the same time, according to him, the most realistic direction of a possible offensive is the north of Ukraine — Chernihiv region, where Russian troops can operate from the Bryansk region. The Ukrainian command takes into account such risks and is preparing for different scenarios, says Syrsky.
He separately noted that with a new offensive, the Russians want to try to stretch the front line and pull Ukrainian troops back from the east and south.
The commander-in-chief also said that the repeaters in Belarus, which help Russia control drone attacks on Ukraine in real time, have not yet been dismantled. According to Syrsky, one of the repeaters was turned on on June 29, but the Russians will not turn them on again.
Threat from Belarus
On April 17, Zelensky said that roads to Ukrainian territory and artillery positions were being built on the Belarusian border. On May 2, Zelensky said that Ukraine had “recorded quite specific activity” from Belarus on the border, but assured that everything was being recorded and monitored.
Already on May 15, the President of Ukraine reported that the Russians were continuing their attempts to drag Belarus into a war against Ukraine and were planning missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian "decision-making centers".
In particular, Russia is considering plans for operations in the directions south and north of Belarus — either in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction or against one of the NATO countries. Zelensky instructed the military to strengthen the relevant direction and present a response plan.
On May 18, Belarus began joint nuclear weapons exercises with Russia. It later emerged that Russia had moved nuclear munitions to Belarus as part of these exercises.
Against this backdrop, SBU reported intensified checks in northern Ukraine. The military will check citizens and cars, as well as inspect the territory to prevent sabotage.
On June 16, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky reported that new UAV units would be formed on the border with Belarus in Ukraine amid the threat of an offensive.
Recall that at the beginning of Russiaʼs full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian troops entered the territory of Ukraine, including from the territory of Belarus. Missile strikes on Ukrainian settlements were also carried out from its territory.
On June 19, Zelensky gave self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko a week to remove the repeaters. As of June 22, repeaters for Russian strike drones have stopped operating in Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported.
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