Ukraine is reinforcing air defenses, drone protection systems and fortifications near its northern border as Russian threats remain unchanged more than three years into the full-scale war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday, May 21.
Following a meeting with local leaders from the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, Zelensky said Ukrainian officials discussed preparations along the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction, which Russian forces used during the early phase of the February 2022 invasion.
“The threats that existed in the first days of the full-scale war have not decreased even now,” Zelensky said in a statement published on Telegram.
“Everyone understands perfectly well that Ukraine cannot allow even one percent of the risks for our people that existed back then, in February 2022,” he added.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has been tasked with strengthening air defense systems and anti-drone protection in the north of the country, as well as improving defensive fortifications and troop preparedness.
He said implementation of Ukraine’s “resilience plans” and the reinforcement of defensive positions reduce the chances of a renewed escalation from the north.
Zelensky also said officials discussed repairs to local roads, describing logistics as “very important,” and addressed support for workers at the Crnobyl Nuclear Power Plant. According to the president, Ukraine’s finance minister promised decisions on salary-related issues for plant employees in June.
Russian troops launched part of their failed offensive toward Kyiv through Belarus and northern Ukraine in February 2022 before later withdrawing from the region.
Concerns over threat from Belarus
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and other Defense Forces units launched enhanced security measures in northern regions bordering Russia and Belarus
The General Staff described the operation as “unprecedented” in scale, citing the number of personnel and resources deployed along the border.
Following this, Belarus’s defense ministry said on Monday that it had launched exercises with Russian participation, including drills involving units tasked with the use of nuclear weapons and support operations.
On Friday, Zelensky reported that Ukrainian intelligence has evidence that Russia is attempting to draw Belarus more directly into the war.
According to him, Russia is considering operational plans involving the deployment of forces from Belarusian territory toward the Chernihiv-Kyiv axis.
He said Kyiv had identified contacts between Russian officials and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko regarding possible new military actions.
“For every possible enemy scenario, we are preparing responses if the Russians truly decide to expand their aggression,” Zelensky said.