Zelenskyy says Russia wants to deploy ballistic missile systems in Belarus to attack Ukraine's west

What Happened

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia wants to deploy ballistic missile systems in Belarus, not only drone relays, to attack Ukraine's west. Speaking to journalists, Zelenskyy claimed Russia is already placing relays on Belarusian territory to use a corridor for drones and intensify attacks, and that Russia needs the support of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to deploy other weapons, including ballistic missiles. He said such a deployment would 'directly drag Belarus into the war' and would be 'very dangerous for Belarus as well'. Zelenskyy also said Ukraine will strengthen air defences in regions that face more attacks and increase production of turrets, deploying them where the threat is greatest. These are Zelenskyy's stated assessments, not independently verified.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Zelenskyy's warning signals a potential expansion of the war's operational geography through Belarus, which could place previously less-exposed western Ukrainian regions under direct ballistic missile threat. If Belarus hosts such systems, it risks being drawn more directly into the conflict while complicating Ukrainian air-defence prioritisation across a wider front.

Watch For

In the coming days, monitor statements from the Russian Ministry of Defence, the Belarusian government, and Lukashenko about military deployments; open-source imagery of missile-related equipment in Belarus; any new strikes or attempted strikes on western Ukraine; and Ukrainian air-defence redeployments or production announcements.