Russian Drones Are Increasingly Flying Into Belarus
- 1.10.2026, 15:40
One of the drones reached the eastern outskirts of Minsk.
In September 2026, there was a significant increase in the number of incidents involving Russian attack drones violating Belarusian airspace. This conclusion was reached by “Flagstok” based on the results of its monitoring.
All instances of Russian UAV incursions were recorded in the Gomel Region. Moreover, these were not isolated incidents, as in previous months, but rather mass incursions. On September 12–13, according to journalists’ estimates based on data from Ukrainian monitoring channels, at least 10 Russian UAVs violated Belarusian airspace. Several drones penetrated deep into the Gomel region and were heading toward Narovlia, Mozyr, and Lelchitsy. At the same time, one of the drones reached the eastern outskirts of Minsk, and residents of Uruchye heard the distinctive sound of a moped engine:
“It was very confusing and alarming. Nothing like this had ever happened before or since. But you can’t mistake that sound for anything else,” said a resident of the Minsk District, speaking on condition of anonymity.
According to reports from monitors, most of the drones that entered Belarus flew back to Ukraine, but there is no precise information about all the drones that intruded into the Gomel region. As a rule, these were not jet-powered drones but classic “Gerani” models.
Throughout the day on September 21, numerous local violations of Belarusian airspace by Russian strike drones were again recorded during an attack on Ukrainian territory.
Some UAVs followed their usual route, cutting across the Bragin District as they passed through the exclusion zone, while others continued deeper into the country and were located in the vicinity of Yelsk and Khoyniki.
In total, at least seven incursions by Russian attack drones into the Gomel Region were recorded that day.
At least three more Russian UAVs violated Belarusian airspace on September 24. One of them was detected in the Loev area.
On September 30, at approximately 8:00 a.m., another jet-powered UAV flew through the Gomel District near Zyabrovka and moved along the border, subsequently likely flying into Ukraine.
Thus, in September alone, Russian drones intruded into the Gomel Region at least 21 times. This is the highest number recorded in a single month in 2026. For example, there were only seven such incidents in August.
At the same time, conventional and jet-powered UAVs continue to fly regularly along the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. Some of them are shot down in this area, which is why residents of the Gomel border region regularly hear the sounds of explosions in the neighboring territory.
It is noteworthy that the increase in the number of incursions into Belarusian territory has been accompanied by reports from the Ukrainian side regarding the activation of relay stations on Belarusian territory.