"Lukashenko Is Responsible"
- 24.08.2026, 6:00
Why Are More and More Drones Flying Into Belarus?
Incidents involving drones have become more frequent in Belarus. In Zhlobin, local residents reported an explosion and a drone crash near BMZ, with eyewitnesses stating that the drone was Russian. In Gomel, people were also awakened by loud noises in the sky and an explosion, which they attribute to a Russian UAV flying over the area or an attempt to shoot it down.
Why have there been a noticeable increase in the number of Russian drones flying over Belarus recently? What could be behind this activity? Charter97.org spoke with political scientist, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences Maxim Pleshko:
— I wouldn’t be so quick to speak of a sharp increase in the number of incursions as a proven fact. But there is another important factor: Russian drones have long since ceased to be an occasional occurrence for Belarus. Such incidents have been recorded before. In June 2026 alone, at least 17 incursions by Russian drones were recorded. Therefore, the incidents in Zhlobin, Gomel, and other similar cases should be viewed as part of a broader picture.
Russia is constantly changing the routes of its drones, seeking new trajectories, and testing the capabilities of air defense systems and the electronic warfare environment. Belarusian territory is of obvious interest to the Russian military—primarily due to its geography and existing infrastructure.
And this raises the key question: if a Russian drone is found over Belarus, this is no longer just Russia’s problem. It’s a problem for Belarusian territory, security, and the regime’s accountability.
— Could this be related to the fact that Russian relay stations, which are used to guide drones toward northern Ukraine, have resumed operations in Belarus?
— That theory seems logical, but for now it must be distinguished from confirmed facts. We know that Russian relay stations were used on Belarusian territory. In June, Ukrainian officials reported four such sites in the Gomel and Brest regions. According to available data, they were shut down following statements by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, Russian drones continued to be detected along the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. Therefore, I would take a broader view. Repeaters are just one element of the system. Russia may be using Belarusian mobile networks, electronic warfare infrastructure, and other technical capabilities. If it is now indeed confirmed that the repeaters have resumed operation, this would mean the restoration of a specific component of Russia’s air-attack command and control infrastructure utilizing Belarusian territory.
And then the question for Minsk is simple: Who authorized the use of Belarusian infrastructure for a Russian military operation?