Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Belarus of aiding Russia's drone campaign against Ukraine and issued a stark warning to Minsk, saying Belarus has one week to dismantle communications equipment allegedly being used to support Russian attacks or Ukraine will take action itself.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Kyiv on Thursday alongside Honduran President Nasry Asfura, Zelensky intensified his criticism of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, arguing that despite repeated claims of neutrality, Belarus continues to assist Moscow's military operations against Ukraine.

"When Lukashenko says he does not want to be involved in the war, he should be honest, at least with his own people," Zelensky said. "It is not only he who could be drawn into the war — his entire country could be dragged into it by Russia."

The Ukrainian leader stressed that Belarus has played a role in Russia's war effort since the earliest stages of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. He recalled that Russian forces launched missiles from Belarusian territory during the initial assault on Ukraine, including strikes targeting key infrastructure and military facilities.

Zelensky also referred to previous discussions with Lukashenko, during which the Belarusian leader allegedly sought to distance himself from those attacks by claiming they were conducted exclusively by Russian forces operating from Belarusian territory.

However, Zelensky rejected that explanation, insisting that Belarus bears responsibility for allowing its territory to be used in support of Russian military operations.

At the center of the dispute are what Zelensky described as relay communication systems installed on towers in two Belarusian regions bordering Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian president, the equipment is being used to facilitate Russian drone attacks against civilian targets inside Ukraine.

"There are relay systems on those towers," Zelensky said. "He can remove them. If he truly does not want to be part of the war, let him remove that equipment and switch it off."

Zelensky argued that the systems contribute directly to ongoing drone strikes that have resulted in civilian casualties across Ukraine.

"Every day our civilians are dying because of this," he stated. "If he does not switch it off, we will."

The Ukrainian president said that one week would be sufficient time for Belarusian authorities to dismantle or deactivate the equipment, signaling that Kyiv may consider unilateral measures if no action is taken.

The remarks represent one of the most direct public warnings issued by Ukraine toward Belarus since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Although Belarusian troops have not officially joined the war, Minsk has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for military deployments, logistics operations, training activities, and missile launches. Belarus served as a key staging ground during Russia's unsuccessful attempt to capture Kyiv in the opening weeks of the conflict.

Zelensky further accused Belarus of helping sustain Russia's military operations through fuel supplies.

"Today, Belarus is one of the main suppliers to the Russian army," he said. "Can this be stopped? I am convinced it is within his power."

The Ukrainian leader maintained that Belarus possesses the ability to restrict exports and logistical support that ultimately benefit Russian military forces.

The latest accusations come only days after Lukashenko sought to lower tensions with Kyiv.

In an interview with the media outlet Al Arabiya on June 16, the Belarusian leader insisted that Belarus poses no military threat to Ukraine and even offered an apology to Zelensky for previous harsh remarks.

Lukashenko said his earlier comments had been made in response to what he described as threats from Ukraine, including statements suggesting that Kyiv had identified numerous potential military targets inside Belarus.

"If Volodymyr was offended, I apologize to him for these words," Lukashenko said. He added that he may have spoken too harshly given the difficult circumstances Ukraine has faced during the war.

Despite those conciliatory remarks, Zelensky's latest statements underscore continuing mistrust between Kyiv and Minsk, with Ukraine increasingly concerned that Belarus remains an active enabler of Russia's military campaign. The warning also reflects Kyiv's growing alarm over what it sees as ongoing Belarusian assistance to Russian drone operations, raising the possibility of a new escalation along Ukraine's northern border. (ILKHA)