Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered his top military leaders today, Friday, to bolster the military sector in the northern part of the country following the arrival of Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian private military group Wagner, in Belarus. He stated that a government meeting with military leaders also received a report from Ukrainian intelligence and security forces regarding the situation in Belarus, which borders northern Ukraine.
Zelensky said via the messaging app "Telegram," "The decision... is for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (Valerii) Zaluzhnyi and the commander of 'the North' (Serhiy) Naiev to implement a series of measures to enhance this direction." He did not mention Prigozhin in the brief post on "Telegram."
The meeting also discussed the situation in other combat front areas, ammunition and shell supplies, and the progress of Ukrainian forces against the occupying Russian troops. After expelling the Russians from northern territories last year, Ukraine has implemented measures to strengthen its defenses along the border with Belarus, a close ally of Russia.
Prigozhin flew from Russia to exile in Belarus on Tuesday, under a deal mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, which ended a rebellion led by Wagner fighters in Russia last Saturday. Reports indicate that Wagner may establish a new base at an abandoned military facility near the town of Asipovichy, located about 90 kilometers from Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
