World

Russian bid to again involve Belarus in war: Zelenskiy

By AAP Newswire

Apr 18, 2026

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine believes Russia is making preparations to once again try to involve its ally Belarus in the four-year-old war.

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Zelenskiy said Ukrainian intelligence indicated Belarus had begun expanding roads and building artillery positions in areas near Ukraine's border.

"We believe that Russia will once again try to involve Belarus in its ‌war," Zelenskiy said on social media.

He did not provide evidence for the construction activities in Belarus.

In February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it also entered Ukrainian territory from Belarus.

Zelenskiy said on Friday that Ukraine had issued instructions to warn the Belarusian leadership of "Ukraine's readiness to defend its land and independence".

He also said Belarus' government should take note of what happened to Venezuela's leader.

"The nature and the consequences of the most recent events in Venezuela should prevent Belarus's leadership from making mistakes," Zelenskiy said.

In January the US military captured Venezuela's head of state Nicolás Maduro and took him and his wife to New York where they have been jailed ever since, facing charges of drug trafficking conspiracies, among other things.

with DPA