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AzerNEWS Staff

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Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has announced a major security operation across five northern regions bordering Russia and Belarus, mobilising multiple security and military agencies in one of the most extensive domestic security efforts since the start of the war.

According to a statement published by the SBU on Facebook on 21 May, the operation involves personnel from the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police, the Armed Forces, the National Guard and the Border Service.

The operation is being conducted in the Chernihiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Volyn and Rivne regions and is aimed at preventing enemy infiltration into border areas through proactive counterintelligence and anti-sabotage measures.

Ukrainian authorities said the primary objective is to prevent hostile actors from entering border zones, carrying out sabotage or terrorist attacks, conducting intelligence-gathering activities, or engaging in other forms of subversive activity.

As part of the operation, security forces are carrying out enhanced checks on civilians, inspecting vehicles and conducting searches of specific locations and premises for prohibited items.

The measures are being implemented under Ukraine’s martial law regime, and officials have warned that residents in affected areas may experience temporary restrictions on movement, identity checks and vehicle inspections.

The operation is being coordinated by the Anti-Terrorist Centre under the SBU following a decision by the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

The SBU stated that while carrying out the operation, security agencies remain committed to respecting Ukrainian law and protecting the constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens.

The announcement comes amid continued tensions along Ukraine’s northern frontier and ongoing concerns about potential cross-border threats from both Russia and Belarus.

Meanwhile, Russian officials claimed that nuclear warheads had been delivered to Belarus as part of joint military exercises between the two countries.

The Russian Defence Ministry released footage showing military vehicles travelling along forest and dirt roads before unloading equipment during adverse weather conditions. The video concluded with images of an Iskander tactical missile system.

According to the ministry, troops equipped the Iskander-M missile system with missiles and then secretly relocated to a designated operational area in preparation for potential launch missions.

The claims have not been independently verified. However, the developments are likely to draw further international attention as Russia continues military cooperation with Belarus while the war in Ukraine remains ongoing.

The latest security measures by Kyiv and Russia’s reported missile activities in Belarus underscore the continued volatility of the security environment across Eastern Europe and the growing focus on border security and military readiness on both sides of the conflict.