Russia is considering several offensive scenarios, including one involving an attack from Belarusian territory, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with TSN.
“We know that Putin has tasked the Russian General Staff with calculating various options for an offensive operation, including one from the territory of Belarus, aimed at capturing Kyiv and other territories. The Russian General Staff has worked out several courses of action.
How realistic they are, given recent developments, I do not think the Belarusian leadership will decide to allow its own territory to be used by the aggressor as a staging ground for an offensive operation,” Syrskyi said.
He noted that Ukraine is considering the possibility of an offensive from Belarusian territory but believes the most likely scenario would be an attack on the Chernihiv region from Russia’s Bryansk region.
Syrskyi said the Belarusian direction is considered difficult for offensive operations because of the limited number of roads and the marshy terrain, which is unsuitable for heavy military equipment. He also noted that all bridges on the Chornobyl axis that could have been used for the movement of military equipment have been destroyed.
Syrskyi pointed out that the large number of forests in the Belarusian direction creates favourable conditions for the operations of sabotage groups and special operations forces.
“We are taking that into account as well,” he said.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also said there is currently no concentration of Belarusian troops along the Ukrainian border.
Syrskyi also shared his views on the recent talks between Lukashenka and Putin in Valdai.
“I think they are discussing the difficult situation that has developed, probably the issue of supplying the Russian grouping, primarily with various types of fuel and other material resources. We know that around 100 enterprises in Belarus are working for Russia’s war economy in various ways — through direct supplies and components. So I think they have plenty to discuss under the current circumstances,” Syrskyi said.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also said that Belarus had recently activated a relay transmitter for Russian drones.
