Ukraine war briefing: Fresh threat of attack from Belarus front, warns Zelenskyy

Kyiv learns of five scenarios Russia has drawn up and will increase forces in the north, says Zelenskyy; Ukraine’s attacks heap pressure on Russian oil refining. What we know on day 1,548

Ukraine war briefing: Fresh threat of attack from Belarus front, warns Zelenskyy

TL;DR

  • Ukraine plans to send reinforcements to its northern regions and increase diplomatic pressure on Belarus.
  • President Zelenskyy cited intelligence on five Russian offensive scenarios, primarily in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction.
  • Ukraine's army commander confirmed intelligence data indicating offensive operations planned from the north.
  • Ukrainian drone attacks have caused major Russian oil refineries to halt or scale back fuel output, affecting approximately a quarter of Russia's refining capacity.
  • The UK government is facing criticism for its sanctions package on Russian oil and gas, particularly for initial exemptions.
  • Ukrainian officials expressed disappointment with Western sanctions, calling them 'too little too late'.
  • The EU will disburse €3.2bn to Ukraine next month as part of an approved loan.