Ukraine war: Russia is ‘not interested’ in absorbing Belarus and kamikaze planes strike Kyiv and Zelensky

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1. Russia is “not interested” in absorbing Belarus, says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that his country had “no interest” in absorbing Belarus, its closest ally.

“Russia has no interest in absorbing anyone,” Putin said during a press conference with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

Nevertheless, the Russian leader announced that the two had held “substantial” talks on strengthening their cooperation in “all areas”, especially defense.

He said they would jointly manufacture and deliver weapons as well as other “joint measures” to ensure their security.

Russia will also continue to train Belarusian military to fly Soviet-designed Belarusian aircraft capable of deploying nuclear bombs.

Belarus is Russia’s main regional ally, and its territory was used by Russian forces to invade Ukraine early in the war.

The two leaders met for talks on Monday as Russian forces prepare to conduct exercises in Belarus. This has caused Kyiv to worry that the country could once again serve as a base for a renewed attack on Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready for all possible defense scenarios against Moscow and its ally.

“Protecting our borders, with both Russia and Belarus – is our constant priority,” Zelensky said after Sunday’s meeting with Ukraine’s top military command. “We are preparing for all possible defensive scenarios.”

Officials in Kyiv have been warning for months that neighboring Belarus – one of Russia’s closest allies – could join forces with Russian forces and once again serve as a launching pad for a new offensive to form a second front in the months-long war.

Belarus allowed its territory to be used as a staging ground for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 but has not joined the fighting directly. Lukashenko has repeatedly said that he does not intend to send his country’s troops to Ukraine.

Russia’s Interfax news agency reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, that Russian troops that were transferred to Belarus in October will conduct tactical exercises at the battalion level.

2. Moscow rejects allegations that Putin is pushing Belarus into the conflict

RIA Novosti news agency said that Moscow denied that Putin’s visit to Belarus was aimed at pushing Minsk to become more directly involved in the Ukraine war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed such reports were “unfounded” and “stupid”.

Putin’s visit to Minsk is his first there in more than three years.

The Kremlin describes the Russian president’s trip, his first to Belarus in three and a half years, as a full-scale “working visit”.

3. Moscow launches “kamikaze” drones over Kyiv

Russia launched a “kamikaze” drone attack on Monday, hitting key infrastructure in and around the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

In the third Russian air attack on Kyiv in six days, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that its air defenses shot down 30 of the 35 incoming drones.

Since October, Russia has been attacking key Ukrainian infrastructure and its power grid, causing widespread power outages amid severe winter weather conditions.

According to preliminary information, the Kyiv mayor said that no one was killed or injured in the Monday attacks.

Oleksey Kuleba, governor of the Kyiv region, said on Telegram that air defense systems were operating in the region. “Stay in shelters and safe places until the alert is over. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.”

Several explosions were heard, but it was not immediately clear whether it was air defense systems destroying drones or drones hitting their targets.

4. Zelensky asks Western leaders for more weapons

On Monday, Zelensky asked Western leaders meeting in Latvia, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to boost arms supplies to help end the war sooner.

Western allies, led by the United States, support Ukraine with funding, military training and weapons, but Kyiv has said more is needed to allow them to beat Russia.

Zelensky said during his speech delivered via video link to the leaders of the countries in the British Joint Expeditionary Force, a grouping led by the countries of Northern Europe.

Addressing Sunak, the Ukrainian president said: “I ask you to increase the possibility of supplying our country with air defense systems, and to help speed up the relevant decisions taken by our partners.”

He added, “A 100% air shield for Ukraine. It will be one of the most successful stations against Russian aggression, and these things are needed now.”

Without directly addressing the request, Sunak said the leaders would “talk about how best” to support Kyiv.

Zelensky also directed a veiled criticism of Germany – which is not part of the assembly and is not present at the conference – saying “there is no explanation” why Ukraine was not supplied with German-made Leopard tanks.

The Joint Expeditionary Force was set up to respond quickly to crises in Northern Europe and consisted of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

5. Russian drones are flying over a Ukrainian nuclear plant, reports Energoatom

Ukraine’s Atomic Energy Agency has accused Russia of ignoring nuclear safety by sending a “kamikaze” drone over part of the nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine in the Mykolaiv region shortly after midnight Monday.

Energoatom claimed that the Iranian-made drone was spotted at 00:46 above the station and said it was urging the international nuclear community to protect the atomic sites from combat.

“This is an absolutely unacceptable violation of nuclear and radiological safety,” Energoatom wrote on Telegram.

Russia currently operates another Ukrainian nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia complex, the largest in Europe, near the front lines in southeastern Ukraine. Talks are under way to create a safety zone around the plant.

Both sides accuse each other of endangering his safety and risking a nuclear accident.

In October, Putin decreed the transfer of the Zaporizhzhya plant from Energoatom to a subsidiary of Rosatom, a move Kyiv called tantamount to theft.

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