Ukraine drone commander warns Belarus against deeper war involvement

Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said on May 26 that Ukrainian forces have identified 500 potential targets in Belarus, as concerns grow that Belarus could become more directly involved in Russia's war against Ukraine.

Brovdi, known by the callsign "Madyar," warned Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko against actions that could further draw Minsk into the war, saying Ukrainian forces had already identified targets in Belarus and cautioning against escalating tensions with Kyiv.

Brovdi did not specify what types of targets had been identified or under what circumstances they could be struck.

The commander's comments come amid heightened concerns over Belarus' role in Russia's war. Belarus, a close Kremlin ally, allowed Russian troops to use its territory as a staging ground in the beginning of the full-scale invasion and has continued supporting Moscow throughout the war.

In recent weeks, Kyiv has repeatedly warned that Belarus could be drawn more directly into the war as Russia and Belarus deepen military cooperation and conduct joint exercises, including nuclear drills.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has also publicly warned Belarus against taking a larger role in the war, saying there would be "consequences" and that Ukraine was prepared to take "preventive measures" in response to potential threats.

Belarus' Defense Ministry claimed on May 21 that Russia had moved nuclear warheads onto Belarusian territory as part of joint military exercises. Lukashenko, meanwhile, has rejected allegations of Belarus' increased involvement in the war said he was prepared to "meet anywhere" with Zelensky to discuss relations between the two countries.

The warning, and broader concerns over Belarus' role in the war, coincide with the first official visit to Kyiv by exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on May 26.