Oleksandr Kovalenko: This Is Why Russians Use Belarusian Airspace

Why are the Shahed drones increasingly circling over Belarusian territory?

On the night of Wednesday, July 31, the Russian army attacked Ukraine with a Kh-59 and 89 Shahed guided missile. Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed all targets.

Why did the Russians return to the mass use of UAVs? The Charter97.org website talked about the situation there with the Ukrainian defence observer of the Information Resistance group Oleksandr Kovalenko:

— Yes, indeed, it was the most massive blow since the New Year. On the night of December 31 to January 1, 90 drones were used. But here we are to remember the Russians, most likely, tried to perform the function not so much of defeating targets as of conducting reconnaissance operations with such a massive raid.

They tried to identify locations for the deployment of echeloned short- and medium-range air defence systems in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, to record the locations of radar stations and deplete their ammunition.

Since the ground groups that are used to intercept the Shahed-136 would not have physically coped with so many targets, the Russians were most likely pursuing reconnaissance objectives.

There was also the goal of depleting the ammunition of air defence systems. This was done in order to prepare more effective flight routes through the airspace of Ukraine for attacks on Kyiv in the future. In addition, to reduce the ammunition of our air defence systems for a more serious strike. For example, in case of a combined missile strike by the Russian Federation, so that in this case there would be a shortage of ammunition in the medium and short range component.

— Some "shaheds" got to the territory of Belarus. They launched aircraft. What is the reason that Russian drones are increasingly returning to Belarus? Is this the work of Ukrainian EW systems? Any systemic malfunctions of the Russian drones?

— Most likely, in this way they are trying to shorten the path to our airspace through the territory where they will not be shot down. The Russians are thus trying to increase the effectiveness of a breakthrough into the airspace of Ukraine, such tactics were used not only with the territory of Belarus.

Previously, attacks were carried out on cities such as Izmail and Reni, for which the airspace of Romania, with which the Odesa region borders, was used. The drones flew there in relatively safe conditions and already struck a direct blow at Ukrainian cities.

But recently, most likely, the Romanian air defence began to shoot them down, this direction for the Russians has become not so effective.

But Belarus does not shoot them, only if the Shahed-136 itself does not deviate from the target in some completely unpredictable direction. Then Belarusian air defence, electronic warfare or aviation are already working. But this very rarely happens, today there is not a single verified destruction of such targets by means of Belarusian air defence, so the Russians use the airspace of Belarus to strike at Ukraine.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail [email protected]