Key facts
- President Zelensky warned of an imminent large-scale Russian attack and urged citizens to be vigilant.
- Zelensky accused Belarus of facilitating Russian drone strikes and demanded the removal of equipment.
- Ukraine has conducted drone strikes against Russian targets, including Moscow and Crimea.
- Recent Russian attacks on Ukraine have caused civilian casualties and damaged infrastructure.
- Zelensky stated that Ukraine is aware of Belarusian factories supporting Russia's war effort.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Ukrainian citizens to be vigilant on the night of June 20, stating that Russia was preparing for a new large-scale attack. His warning comes days after Ukraine conducted drone strikes against Moscow, which disabled the Moscow Oil Refinery and exacerbated a fuel shortage. Zelensky characterized these strikes as a "just response to Russian strikes," which have intensified in spring 2026, including attacks on Kyiv's cultural and historic sites.
Zelensky also issued a direct warning to Belarus, accusing Minsk of facilitating Russian drone attacks by installing military equipment along the Belarus-Ukraine border. He stated that Ukraine was aware of this equipment and warned that Belarus has one week to dismantle it, or Ukraine would take action. He also noted that Ukraine is aware of Belarusian factories supporting Russia's war effort.
These remarks follow an ultimatum Zelensky issued to Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. The comments represent one of Kyiv's most direct public warnings toward Belarus since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had threatened fresh attacks on targets crucial to Ukrainian combat effectiveness in response to the strikes on Moscow.