Russia 'preparing something' in Belarus, Zelenskyy warns Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Russia is "preparing something" in Belarus this summer. "This summer Russia is preparing something there, under cover of military exercises," the Ukrainian leader told a summit in Poland yesterday, without giving details. "This is how its new attacks usually start," he added. Russia and Belarus have announced joint military drills for September. Belarus is not believed to have supplied troops directly to fight in Ukraine, but did allow Russian troops to pass through its border with Ukraine when the invasion began in 2022 - allowing Moscow a much more direct route to Kyiv, which it did not take advantage of.