Russia is preparing five possible scenarios to expand its war through northern Ukraine and is planning to mobilize up to 100,000 additional troops, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
In a Telegram post, Zelensky said he held a headquarters meeting to review Ukrainian intelligence data on Russian planning for potential offensive operations in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction.
“We are preparing responses for each possible option of the enemy’s actions if the Russians really dare to expand their aggression. Our forces in the [sector] will be increased,” he said.
Zelensky added that the meeting also reviewed information about Russia’s preparation of new mobilization measures involving “plus 100,000 people.”
He said Ukraine currently assesses that Russia does not yet have the capacity for covert mobilization on that scale, suggesting instead that Moscow may opt for “political decisions of a different format,” including moves similar to recent actions regarding Moldova’s Transnistria region.
Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing to expand the scope of long-range strikes on Russian territory, describing them as “long-range sanctions” that have already proven effective in reducing Russia’s ability to wage war.
“Ukraine will definitely defend itself, and now our task is to strengthen our state so that none of the five Russian scenarios of expanding the war through northern Ukraine will work,” he said.
Belarus has launched joint exercises with Russia involving the combat use of nuclear weapons and related support operations, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said on May 18.
According to Minsk, the exercise objective is to improve readiness to use “modern means of destruction, including special munitions.”
Missile forces and aviation units are taking part, with personnel practicing delivery procedures for nuclear-related munitions and operations from dispersed, unprepared locations. The exercises also focus on concealment, long-range movement, and deployment planning.
Minsk said the exercises are part of routine “Union State” cooperation with Russia and are “not directed against third countries,” claiming they do not threaten regional security.
However, questions remain over how Belarus, which is not a nuclear state, maintains personnel reportedly trained for nuclear delivery roles.
Zelensky said on May 15 that Ukrainian intelligence has evidence Russia is seeking to draw Belarus deeper into the war against Ukraine and potentially future operations against NATO countries.
He said Kyiv is tracking contacts between Russian officials and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko aimed at increasing Minsk’s involvement in Russian military plans, including possible operations toward Ukraine’s north or against NATO states.
Earlier, Lukashenko announced rotational mobilization of selected units to prepare forces for a possible “ground operation,” saying Belarus was “preparing for war” while hoping to avoid it.