Russian Strike Drone Enters Ukraine via Belarus

Ukrainian air threat detection systems recorded the flight of a Russian Shahed kamikaze drone from the territory of Belarus.

The eRadar monitoring resource reported on this.

The drone, or a group of drones, crossed the Ukrainian border in the area of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and continued flying southward.

The Air Force official account also reported the detection of enemy drones over the Kyiv region, moving toward Kyiv, Vasylkiv, and Borova. Later, they changed course toward the Zhytomyr region.

This is not the first time Russian forces have used Belarusian airspace to fly strike drones. The previous incident was recorded in July of this year.

Residents of border settlements observed the flight of Russian drones from Belarusian territory. It was also reported that three drones flew through Belarusian territory and were directed toward the Zhytomyr region.

It’s also worth noting incidents in which Russian strike drones entered Belarusian territory from Ukraine, which was explained as a result of malfunctions in their navigation systems. The country’s Air Force periodically deploys fighter jets and helicopters to intercept them.

Belarusian media reported that in July alone, at least 96 Russian Shahed kamikaze drones entered their country, with a quarter of them detected on a single day – the night of June 30.

This marks an absolute record: the previous peak occurred in December, whereas from February to June, the number of detected drones was significantly lower.

For comparison, throughout the entire year of 2023, at least 145 Shahed drones were recorded in Belarus. Of those, 109 disappeared from radar, and 36 crossed the border into Ukraine.

On August 20, a Russian strike drone crashed and exploded just 40 km from the Polish capital, Warsaw. At the crash site, locals found a four-cylinder engine typical of Shahed/Geran-type drones.

Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, during an official press conference, called the incident a Russian provocation.