Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Warns Belarus As Russian Strikes Kill Civilians Across Ukraine (Worthy News Radio)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned his nation that Russian forces may be preparing a major new offensive and urged Ukrainians to remain vigilant as fresh attacks across the country killed at least seven people, including civilians living near the front lines.

The Ukrainian leader also issued an unusually direct warning to neighboring Belarus, accusing it of helping Russia carry out drone attacks against Ukraine.

Speaking amid continuing Russian bombardments, Zelenskyy said Belarus was allowing Russia to use drone-guidance equipment near Ukraine’s border. He urged Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to dismantle the equipment within a week.

“What’s the point of Lukashenko saying he does not want war?” Zelenskyy said. “Let him remove this equipment. Let him turn off this equipment. If he doesn’t dismantle the equipment, we will do it.”

Belarus, one of Russia’s closest allies, allowed Russian troops to use its territory during Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian officials now say equipment located in Belarus is helping guide Russian drone attacks against Ukrainian targets.

INTENSIFIED STRIKES

The warning came as Russian forces intensified strikes across several regions of Ukraine.

Regional authorities said five people were killed and ten injured when Russian glide bombs struck residential areas and infrastructure in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.

Near the Russian border, officials reported that another person was killed in a bombing attack on the outskirts of the city of Sumy. In the southern Kherson region, a drone strike claimed the life of a resident, while shelling in the central city of Poltava injured three children.

The latest attacks follow one of the deadliest weeks in recent months.

Last Monday, Russian strikes killed ten people across Ukraine and badly damaged Kyiv’s historic Pechersk Lavra monastery, a religious complex dating back nearly one thousand years and regarded by many Ukrainians as a symbol of the nation’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

IMPACT ON CHURCHES

The damage to the monastery renewed concerns about the impact of the war on places of worship and historic religious sites, including churches.

Despite the mounting casualties, Zelenskyy pledged that Ukraine would continue military operations targeting Russian oil and energy infrastructure deep inside Russia.

Yet, diplomatic tensions have emerged between Ukraine and neighboring Poland, one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy announced that he was returning Poland’s highest state honor after Polish President Karol Nawrocki moved to revoke the award.

The dispute arose after Ukraine renamed a military unit in honor of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, known as the UPA.

POLAND RECALLS SUFFERING

Kyiv views the group as a symbol of resistance and the struggle for independence.

However Poland accuses it of carrying out massacres of ethnic Poles during the Second World War.

Polish officials say about 100,000 Poles were killed in the Volhynia region between 1943 and 1945.

Yet, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine remains open to dialogue with Poland and expressed gratitude to the Polish people for their support throughout the war.

As fighting continues and fears of further escalation grow, Ukrainian leaders are urging both vigilance at home and continued international support abroad.

Latest Worthy News