Russia to open control stations for long-range drones in Belarus, Zelenskiy says


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacts during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets at 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett/Pool

KYIV, March 23 (Reuters) - ⁠Russia plans to open four ground ⁠control stations for long-range attack drones in ‌Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday, citing information from Ukraine's military intelligence service.

Zelenskiy, who in recent ​months has repeatedly warned about ⁠Belarus becoming more ⁠involved in Russia's war against Ukraine, added in ⁠comments ‌on X that he had instructed the service's chief to inform ⁠Kyiv's partners about these plans.

Speaking later in ​his nightly ‌video address, Zelenskiy said that earlier in ⁠the ​now four-year-old war, Belarusian assistance had for a time intensified the damage inflicted by Russian ⁠attacks until Ukraine took action ​against it.

"We now have information from our intelligence that Russia intends to continue using the territory ⁠of Belarus and temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine to build ground control stations for long-range drones," he said.

"There will be responses ​to this. And they ⁠will be felt."

Belarus' foreign ministry did not immediately ​reply to a request ‌for comment outside of business ​hours.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Ron Popeski, Rod Nickel)

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