Belarus says intercepted Ukrainian reconnaissance drone

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Jul 2023 18:21

Belarus authorities say the Ukrainian drone was forcibly downed in the Braginsky District via an electronic warfare gun.

Ukrainian troops inspect a new Sirko reconnaissance drone outside Kharkov, on April 30, 2023. (AFP)

Belarus' State Border Security Committee confirmed on Monday that Belarusian border security forces downed on July 16 a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone in the Gomel Region.

"A border security unit on duty on River Dnieper discovered an unmanned aerial vehicle that violated the state border from Ukrainian territory. The drone was used for reconnaissance of border area of the Republic of Belarus," the committee revealed in a statement.

According to the committee, the Ukrainian drone was forcibly downed in the Braginsky District via an electronic warfare gun.

This is not the first time that Belarus intercepts Ukrainian drones. In late May, Belarusian border security forces shot down a Ukrainian drone. And in early February, Belarusian forces intercepted a Ukrainian drone near the state border in the Brest Region.

Belarus' State Border Security Committee highlighted that since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian drones passed by the Belarusian border 463 times by mid-January.

According to the committee, Kiev frequently carries out provocations at the border with Belarus, including with the use of military weapons. It noted that a total of 88 such cases were registered in 2022.

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?