Reuters: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
KYIV, June 30 – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ordered top military commanders on Friday to strengthen Ukraine’s northern military sector following the arrival of Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said Ukrainian intelligence and security forces had reported on the situation in Belarus, Ukraine’s northern neighbour, at a meeting of top military and political leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The decision…is for Commander-in-Chief (General Valeriy) Zaluzhnyi and ‘North’ commander (General Serhiy) Naev to implement a set of measures to strengthen this direction,” Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He did not mention Wagner Group boss Prigozhin in the brief post on Telegram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prigozhin flew from Russia into exile in Belarus on Tuesday under a deal negotiated by President Alexander Lukashenko that ended his mercenaries’ mutiny<\/a> in Russia on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Media have reported that Wagner could set up a new base at a vacant military facility near the town of Asipovichi, about 90 km (50 miles) from the Belarusian capital, Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After pushing Russian forces out of northern regions last year, Ukraine took steps to tighten the defence of its border with Belarus, a close ally of Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Right now, there is no direct threat of offensive actions from Belarus and Russia in the zone that is the responsibility of the Northern Group of Forces,” Naev said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But he said moves to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities were needed in the event of a growing threat, and added: “Our intelligence does not stop work to obtain information.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zelenskiy said the situation in other frontline areas, supplies of artillery and shells, and advances by Ukrainian troops against Russia’s occupying forces were also discussed at Friday’s meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n