Zelensky doubles down on ultimatum to destroy relay stations along Belarusian border

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has doubled down on his ultimatum to Belarus, threatening to destroy the Russian ally's border relay stations after targeting a school bus last week.

The Ukrainian military will bomb Belarusian communication towers along the 1,000-kilometer border unless President Alexander Lukashenko takes them offline and “proves” that he is not aiding Russia, Zelensky said on Sunday.

“At the intelligence and military levels, Belarus received a message: stop helping the Russians. The issue with the relay stations has been ongoing for a long time,” Zelensky said in a post on X, reiterating his claim that Russia is using the communication towers to coordinate drone strikes.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian forces targeted a school bus carrying children from the Gomel region of Belarus to Russia's Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik with a drone, killing a coach's wife and injuring six others.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko demanded answers from Kiev regarding the drone strike on the school bus.

Lukashenko stated that those who seek to drag his nation into the conflict “will have to pay dearly for that.”

Belarus's Foreign Ministry also demanded a "comprehensive explanation" from the Ukrainians over the heinous attack targeting children.

Kiev has denied responsibility, and instead, Zelensky issued another ultimatum to the Belarusians to either dismantle the country's air defense system or be prepared for Ukrainian forces to come and destroy the radar defending its southern border.

“I think one week would be enough for him to accomplish this,” Zelensky said at a press conference in Kiev. “If he does not do it, we will.”

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Zelensky also claims Minsk, as one of Russia’s “main” allies, is supplying the country with energy commodities to be able to continue its years-long military campaign against Ukraine.

“Can this be stopped? I am sure it is within his power,” Zelensky said, demanding Minsk stop its exports to Russia.

Belarus has repeatedly declared that Minsk has no intention of engaging in any war against another nation and “is not threatening anyone.”

Belarus has largely tried to stay out of the conflict since it started in 2022, urging Moscow and Kiev to engage in dialogue while expressing its readiness to contribute to a diplomatic solution.

Lukashenko offered to meet personally with the actor-turned-politician to discuss ways to resolve the conflict.

However, Zelensky declined the offer to meet Lukashenko. Zelensky says he wants to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Besides the relay stations, Kiev has also identified and mapped out 500 other strategic military and logistical targets across Belarus, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces warned last month.

“They may well have identified 500 targets,” Lukashenko said in response. “But we have one very serious target, with precise coordinates. And it is not far from Belarus,” he added, apparently hinting at Kiev, which is just 90 kilometers from the border.

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