The Kyiv Independent
kyivindependent.com
Open original sourceUkraine’s State Border Guard Service said on May 4 that Belarus is developing logistics routes, training grounds and related infrastructure in cooperation with Russia. Spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said Russia does not currently have enough forces in Belarus to pose an immediate direct threat, but that the infrastructure being built could be used quickly if the force posture changes. Ukrinform published Demchenko’s remarks on May 4, and The Kyiv Independent reported them on May 5.
The precise location, scale, timeline and operational purpose of the infrastructure referenced by the Ukrainian side remain unclear. There is no independent public evidence in the reviewed material showing that a new cross-border offensive is being prepared now. No immediate Belarusian official response specifically addressing Demchenko’s May 4 remarks was found in reviewed searches.
Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said on May 4 that Belarus is continuing to develop logistics routes, training grounds and related military infrastructure in coordination with Russia, while also assessing that current Russian troop levels in Belarus do not indicate an imminent new assault on Ukraine.
The assessment was delivered by State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko in remarks reported by Ukrinform and later carried by The Kyiv Independent. Demchenko said the infrastructure being prepared in Belarus could be used by Russian forces at short notice and described Minsk as remaining aligned with Moscow’s war effort.
What remains unverified is the precise scale, location and operational purpose of the infrastructure cited by the Ukrainian side. A Reuters report matching the specific claim was not found in available searches, and no immediate Belarusian official response specifically addressing Demchenko’s May 4 remarks was found in available searches of Belarusian official and state-linked outlets.
The development matters because expanded transport, support and training infrastructure in Belarus could reduce Russia’s preparation time if its force posture north of Ukraine changes. Even without a large Russian deployment in Belarus now, the northen axis remains a contingency Ukrainian forces say they are monitoring closely.