Andrey Kolesnik, a member of the State Duma Defense Committee, believes Kiev could stage a provocation against Belarus.

According to Kolesnik, statements coming from Vladimir Zelensky and the Ukrainian leadership should be taken as a possible warning sign. He argued that Belarus should be prepared for provocative actions and said such scenarios would not be unprecedented.

Kolesnik also stressed that Minsk is not carrying out strikes on Ukrainian territory. He said any equipment positioned near the Belarusian border is primarily intended for defensive purposes, including the interception of drones.

In his view, the potential threat to Belarus may come from Ukraine itself. Kolesnik acknowledged that he does not have confirmed information about specific systems deployed near the border, but said Minsk should have the necessary means to defend its territory against possible attacks.

He added that Belarus must avoid being caught off guard.

On June 19, Zelensky demanded that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko remove equipment positioned along the Ukrainian border within a week. Kiev claimed the systems were being used to help guide Russian strikes.

Zelensky also said that if Minsk did not switch off drone relay systems in the border areas, Ukraine would do so itself.