President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine recorded "rather specific activity" along sections of its border with Belarus on 1 May, coming from the Belarusian side, according to his video address.
Zelenskyy did not specify what the activity involved.
What the president said about the border
"The day before, there was rather specific activity on sections of the border between Ukraine and Belarus — from the Belarusian side," Zelenskyy said in the address.
"We are carefully recording everything, controlling everything, and, if needed, we will react," he continued. The president added: "Ukraine is ready to defend its people, its sovereignty, and everyone must understand this — everyone whom they are trying to draw into any aggressive activity against Ukraine."
Sanctions and May negotiations
In the same address, Zelenskyy reported that new sanctions decisions are being prepared and pointed to upcoming talks.
"We continue our work with partners — in Europe, in the Middle East, in the Gulf, in other parts of the world — with everyone capable of strengthening Ukrainian air defence and providing Ukraine with more economic power," he said. He added: "We expect weighty things from the negotiations in May."
The address followed Zelenskyy's earlier readout of a phone call with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Since February 2022 Russian forces used Belarusian territory to launch the initial assault on Kyiv, and Russian troops, aircraft, and missiles have continued to operate from Belarusian soil. Lukashenka's regime hosts Russian tactical nuclear weapons and has deepened military integration with Moscow, including joint exercises near the Ukrainian border.
The threat to Ukraine is twofold: Belarus forces Kyiv to keep significant troops and air defence tied down on the northern border instead of the front lines, and any sudden buildup or "specific activity" raises the possibility of a renewed northern axis — whether a real ground push, a sabotage operation, or a feint designed to stretch Ukrainian defences. Belarus has also been a launch corridor for Russian Shahed drones and missiles aimed at Ukrainian cities, making border activity a direct air-defence concern as well.
