Key facts
- Ukraine is establishing new unmanned systems units in its northern sector.
- The units are intended to reinforce border defenses and prepare for potential battlefield developments.
- Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the initiative on June 16.
- The move occurs amid rising tensions with Belarus and warnings of potential Russian aggression via Belarusian territory.
Ukraine is establishing new unmanned systems units in its northern sector to bolster its defenses along the borders with Russia and Belarus, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced on June 16. The initiative aims to reinforce border defenses and prepare for potential battlefield developments.
The announcement follows increasing tensions between Kyiv and Minsk, with Ukrainian officials repeatedly warning that Moscow might use Belarusian territory for renewed military operations. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on May 15 that Russia was seeking to convince Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to join new acts of aggression, and on May 21, he indicated Ukraine was prepared to take preventive measures against both Russia and Belarus.
Lukashenko, however, denied in an interview published on June 15 that Belarus intends to enter the war, asserting that the country poses no military threat to Ukraine and would only become involved if attacked. He had previously downplayed the capabilities of Ukrainian troops stationed along the Belarusian border.