Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a reinforcement of the armed forces along the Chernihiv-Kiev axis in the north of the country.
Intelligence findings regarding Russia’s plans for offensive operations in that area had been analysed, he wrote on social media following a meeting with his senior staff.
Ukraine is preparing responses to every possible scenario involving Russian actions, he wrote. He has also instructed the Foreign Ministry to prepare additional diplomatic pressure on Belarus.
Zelensky has been saying for weeks that Russia is attempting to drag Belarus into the war. Moscow wants to advance from Belarusian territory towards Chernihiv-Kiev or even attack one of the NATO countries bordering Belarus, he claimed towards the end of last week. He cited intelligence reports but did not provide any details.
Belarus is considered Russia’s closest ally. During its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian army also advanced from Belarusian territory towards the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
Zelensky said he has information on preparations for new mobilization steps by Moscow, without providing evidence. He said this involved 100,000 people. Ukraine believes that there is currently no potential for covert mobilization in Russia, so further political decisions, such as those recently taken regarding the Republic of Moldova, are to be expected, he said.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin facilitated the issuance of Russian passports in the separatist region of Transnistria, a narrow strip of land between the Dniester River and Ukraine. The region broke away from Moldova during a war in the early 1990s. The breakaway region is not recognized internationally.