Zelenskyy expects concrete action from Lukashenko: "He can keep his 'I'm sorry' to himself"
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko must demonstrate concrete steps towards de-escalation.
Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with TSN, a Ukrainian daily news programme
Details: Zelenskyy said before making public statements, he first takes "certain de-escalation steps privately". He added that Belarusian authorities had previously been informed "through intelligence and military channels: stop helping the Russians".
He noted that "the issue of the signal repeaters [used to guide Russian drones from Belarusian territory] is not something that emerged yesterday. It has been going on for a long time and Ukrainian lives have been lost because of it".
Quote: "Lukashenko must demonstrate de-escalation through actions, not just words. And not simply by saying 'I'm sorry'. He can keep his 'I'm sorry' to himself. It stopped working after the very first day of the war."
Details: Zelenskyy said that Belarusian authorities had been told that concrete steps were needed through intelligence agencies, the Security Service of Ukraine and other channels.
Quote: "Step number one: no technical support. Direct support through these signal repeaters. Remove them and show us they have been removed. Then this issue is over. We have communicated this to them many times and have moved beyond the stage of public signals. If they do not remove them, we will. That's all. Within a week, either they will do it or we will…
We have also sent them another signal: please stop supplying fuel to the Russian armed forces. But this is only a signal; there are no threats involved. We are simply saying that we see it."
Previously: On 19 June, Zelenskyy said that Lukashenko had one week to remove signal repeaters adjusting Russian drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, otherwise Ukraine would "do it ourselves".
On 20 June, Zelenskyy said that four signal repeaters had been installed in Belarus' Homiel (Gomel) and Brest oblasts to help adjust Russian drone strikes on Ukraine, and that petrol supplies from Belarus to Russia had increased 13-fold.
Background:
- Zelenskyy has previously stated that Russia continues its attempts to draw Belarus into the war, including, potentially, as part of preparations for an operation against a NATO member state.
- Commenting on threats from Belarus, Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said that the Ukrainian military has identified 500 potential targets in Belarus. He also advised Lukashenko not to "stick in Ukraine's craw".
- Lukashenko responded to Brovdi's remarks by threatening to strike a "very serious" target in Ukraine, the coordinates of which Minsk supposedly possesses.
- Lukashenko later said that no military action from Belarus should be expected and apologised to Zelenskyy for his harsh remarks.
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