President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces detected unusual activity on the Belarusian side of the countries’ shared border the previous day, while stressing the situation remains under control.
In a video address published on his official social media channels, Zelensky said the activity was observed on May 1 along sections of the northern border. He did not describe the specific movements but confirmed that Ukrainian intelligence and border units are closely tracking the developments.
“We are carefully recording everything, we control everything, and, if necessary, we will respond,” Zelensky said in the address. He added that Ukraine is ready to defend its people and its sovereignty, and warned that anyone drawn into aggressive actions against Ukraine must understand that the country will react.
The president also announced that Ukraine is preparing new sanctions decisions, including several packages to be implemented in the near future.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said on Telegram that all Belarusian movements along the border are being monitored. He assessed that at most, minor provocations could occur from the Belarusian side, adding that such actions would carry higher costs for Belarus itself.
The detection of unusual activity follows a series of warnings from Zelensky in recent weeks about efforts by Russia to draw Belarus deeper into the war. In mid-April, the president said intelligence showed Belarus was building roads toward Ukrainian territory and setting up artillery positions near the border. At the time, he said Russia may again try to involve Belarus in its invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus, a close ally of the Kremlin, allowed Russian forces to use its territory as a staging ground for the February 2022 invasion and has since hosted some of Moscow’s tactical nuclear weapons. Belarusian authorities have not yet commented on Zelensky’s latest remarks.
Despite the reported activity, Ukrainian border guard officials have said in recent days that there is no sign of a large-scale troop buildup on the Belarusian side. Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, stated on April 30 that Ukrainian border guards were not observing any movement of equipment or troop concentrations near the border and that no buildup had been recorded.
Ukraine has been strengthening its northern defensive positions for weeks. In late April, the Armed Forces began constructing a layered defensive line along the northern border extending up to 100 kilometers in depth, designed to prevent Russian forces from establishing a buffer zone.
Zelensky said Ukraine continues to work with partners in Europe, the Middle East and the Gulf region to strengthen air defenses and economic stability. He also expressed expectation for meaningful results from high-level negotiations scheduled for May.