The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that part of Russia’s drone attacks is being carried out with the assistance of Belarus. He made this announcement following a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff that took place on December 26.
This is reported by Kyiv24
The Belarusian Factor in Russian Strikes
According to Zelensky, the main focus of the meeting was on the use of drones and the organization of defense lines. The airstrikes on the city of Kovel in the Volyn region were discussed separately, as well as the issues related to the enemy studying Ukrainian defensive positions and attempting to bypass them.
“Today we had a Staff meeting dedicated entirely to drones and defense lines. We also talked about the (air attacks on) Kovel (a city in the Volyn region – ed.). There is a problem – they see our positions, the interceptor lines, which we are working on quite well, and they want to bypass them. They are bypassing them, thanks to, by the way, Belarus, Belarusian territory. And technically, thanks to Belarus as well. This is a serious issue. I have set all the tasks for the next Staff meeting; there will be responses,” said the head of state, responding to questions from journalists regarding, among other things, Russian strikes on railway infrastructure in Korosten and Kovel.
The Scale of Russian Attacks and Ukraine’s Response
Russian military forces systematically attack Ukrainian cities and villages using various types of weaponry: strike drones, missiles, guided aerial bombs, and multiple launch rocket systems. Both infrastructure facilities and residential buildings are under fire.
At the same time, Russian authorities deny the facts of targeted attacks on civilian objects, although during the full-scale war, Russian military forces have repeatedly struck hospitals, schools, kindergartens, energy, and water supply facilities, resulting in civilian casualties.
Ukrainian officials and international human rights organizations classify these strikes as war crimes of the Russian Federation and emphasize their intentional and systematic nature.