Ukrainian Armed Forces Spokesperson: Russian Drones Are "huddling" Near The Border With Belarus
- 31.08.2026, 15:11
Some jet drones can be controlled in real time.
During their attacks on Ukraine, Russian troops are using routes along the border with Belarus, and some of their jet-powered drones can be controlled in real time. This was stated by Yuriy Ignat, head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, according to RBC-Ukraine.
According to Ignat, the Russians frequently launch attack drones, including jet-powered “Shaheds,” while “hugging the border with Belarus.” They enter via the Kyiv Reservoir and maneuver at various altitudes.
However, this is not the only direction of Russian attacks: a large number of drones are also being launched from the south, as well as toward the Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Ukraine’s air defense forces are shooting down a significant portion of the drones, but it is impossible to destroy all targets due to weather conditions and limited resources in specific locations.
In addition to drones flying along precisely specified coordinates, Ignat cited the fact that some of the drones are controlled online as a serious threat. To achieve this, Russia uses mesh networks, in which each drone acts as a signal relay for the control station.
“Thanks to operators at command posts, the Russians can assess the situation in real time, distinguish mock-ups from real objects, and select priority targets. The occupiers have already made repeated attempts to strike trains, locomotives, and vehicles of mobile fire groups while they are in motion,” said the Ukrainian Armed Forces spokesperson.
To intercept the “Shahed” drones, Ukraine is deploying, among other assets, tactical aviation. Mirage, F-16, and MiG-29 aircraft are being used for this purpose, with pilots shooting down the drones not only with missiles but also with aircraft cannons.
“It’s precision work,” Ignat noted, adding that pilots take serious risks during such intercepts.
According to him, aircraft must be deployed, in particular, when a jet-powered drone is flying too fast or at high altitude. At the same time, ground-based air defense systems, man-portable air defense systems, and laser-guided missiles are being used against Russian drones.
As a reminder, earlier, Sergey Beskrestnov, a special advisor to the President of Ukraine on defense technology development—known by the call sign “Flash”— also noted that many of the “Shahed” drones attacking Kyiv are flying along the Belarusian border, even though a direct route to the Ukrainian capital would be shorter.
He suggested that the LTE modems installed on the drones might be using signals from Belarusian mobile cellular base stations, allowing them to maintain communication with the operator.