At least nine Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drones flew off course and entered Belarus during Russia's attacks on Ukraine in July, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring group reported on Aug. 8.
Of the nine drones, seven flew back into Ukrainian airspace, while one was downed over Gomel Oblast in Belarus after flying for more than 400 kilometers (248 miles). The fate of one other drone is unknown, the monitoring group said.
The drone flew into Belarusian airspace on the night of July 13, traveling more than 350 kilometers (217 miles). According to Hajun, the drone reached Vitebsk in northeast Belarus and then disappeared.
The monitoring group noted that "despite the massive and regular flights of UAVs into the airspace of Belarus," Minsk made "practically no comments" on the situation.
Belarus did, however, start sending Su-30 fighter jets to fly to the south of the country during Russian attacks on Ukraine, Hajun noted.
The largest entry of Russian drones into Belarus' airspace took place overnight on July 31, when Russia launched 89 Shahed-type attack drones at Ukraine. Ukraine's Air Force said that all the drones were downed.
At least five drones crossed into Belarus during this attack, marking the largest single entry of Russian drones into Belarus's airspace since the start of the full-scale invasion, Hajun said.
While most of the drones almost immediately exited the country into Ukrainian airspace, one of them traveled more than 260 kilometers (around 161 miles) over Belarus, reaching the town of Stolin in Brest Oblast.
Francis Farrell
(Updated: )
