Robert (Madyar) Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, announced that military officials have identified 500 potential targets within Belarus, responding to escalating threats from the neighboring country.
In a social media statement, Brovdi addressed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, advising him against provoking Ukraine. He stated, “To the Minsk gauleiter Lukashenko: a barking dog doesn’t bite. The predatory bird is not the same. The first 500 targets are already marked. A free and very practical piece of advice: don’t poke your nose into Ukraine’s affairs.”
Brovdi’s remarks came in the wake of comments from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who had threatened systematic strikes on facilities in Kyiv. The Ukrainian commander highlighted that nine out of thirteen Russian oil refineries have ceased operations following drone attacks from Ukraine.
In related developments, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense announced that nuclear weapon training exercises began on May 18, in collaboration with Russian military forces. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and the joint nuclear drills, labeling them an unprecedented challenge to global security architecture and urging international partners to respond decisively.
On May 20, during a meeting of Ukraine’s military leadership, officials reviewed intelligence regarding Russian plans for offensive operations in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction. President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Foreign Ministry to prepare additional diplomatic measures against Belarus, which could potentially be used by Russia to escalate the conflict.
Tensions between Ukraine and Belarus escalate as Ukrainian military identifies 500 targets in Belarus. This follows threats from Russian officials and joint military exercises involving nuclear capabilities.