Full Breakdown
Belarus Relays Extend Russian Drone Reach into Western Ukraine and NATO Airspace
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Background & Context
Ukraine says Belarus operates signal-relay stations that amplify Russian Shahed and Gerbera drones crossing Belarusian airspace toward western Ukraine. After President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded Minsk dismantle the equipment on June 19, officials reported the relays were off on June 22 but re-activated in September. The relays would let drones skirt the Belarus-Ukraine border and strike as far west as the Volyn and Lviv regions, which border Poland.
02
Timeline of Key Events
Swipe across the table to see all columns.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 19 | Zelenskyy gave Belarus one week to remove relay equipment. |
| June 22 | Relays reportedly stopped operating. |
| September 12 | Russia launched hundreds of drones hugging the Belarus-Ukraine border. |
| September 14-15 | NATO Eurofighter jets shot down a Russian drone over Lithuania. |
| September 17 | A Russian drone struck the engine of a Kyiv–Warsaw passenger train near the Poland-Ukraine border. |
| September 18 | Ukrainian border guard spokesperson said Belarus-based relays were operating at a “fairly high level.” |
| September 21-22 | Belarusian balloons closed Vilnius Airport. |
| September 24 | *El Mundo* reported Washington warned of possible Russian drone strikes on Spain, France or Italy. |
03
Data & Statistics
- Ukrainian officials have identified four relay transmitters in Belarus’s Homiel region.
- The September 12-13 drone wave hit a Ukrainian truck ? 800 m from the Dorohusk–Yahodyn crossing, prompting a temporary suspension of Polish border clearance.
04
Official Statements & Responses
- Oleg Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, confirmed the relays’ resumption and cited detection of four transmitters.
- Pavel Muraveyko, chief of the Belarusian General Staff, described the September 15-18 exercise as routine staff work, denying offensive intent.
- Lithuania opened a pre-trial investigation into the drone’s origin.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned Russia might fire drones into NATO territory and label the incidents accidents.
05
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- No NATO or Lithuanian technical body has publicly confirmed the relay claim, though Ukrainian officials maintain it.
- Belarus has not acknowledged the equipment and attributes border-crossing drones to Ukrainian activity.
- The technical link between the relays and specific strikes, such as the September 17 train engine hit, remains unverified.
06
Why It Matters
If Belarus’s relay infrastructure is facilitating Russian drones, it creates a conduit for unmanned aircraft to enter NATO airspace, as seen over Lithuania and near the Poland-Ukraine border. This raises strategic concerns for frontline NATO states, prompting diplomatic protests, investigations, and calls for stronger air-defence measures.