Editor’s note: The Belarusian military later confirmed shooting down a drone that violated Belarusian airspace on September 5, but did not describe the drone as Russian.
The Belarusian Air Force shot down two Russian combat drones near the Belarusian city of Homel on September 5, the Belarusian Hayun observation group claimed.
If confirmed, this would be the first confirmation of a successful interception of Russian drones by Belarusian forces over the country’s airspace.
Previously a Belarusian fighter jet tried to shoot down a Russian Shahed drone that entered the country’s airspace on August 29, although there was no confirmation that Belarus’s downing of the drone was successful.
The Kyiv Independent could not immediately confirm the monitoring group’s claims.
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Belarus weekly
While Russian attack drones have reportedly deviated from their course towards Belarus In several air strikes on Ukraine, this would be the first known case in which a Belarusian Air Force aircraft successfully shot down one of these aircraft.
Russia launched another large-scale drone attack on Ukraine overnight on September 5, targeting several regions of the country, according to the Ukrainian Air Force said.
Several Belarusian fighter jets were alerted to intercept the drones near the city of Gomel at around 1:30 a.m. local time, Belaruski Hajun claimsThe city is located about 30 km from the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
A third Russian attack drone reportedly entered Belarusian airspace at around 2:30 a.m., but no further information on its status was provided.
Social media reportedly showed videos of drone debris falling over the skies of Gomel.
The incident is the second time in the past week that Belarusian fighter jets have been alerted to protect the country’s airspace.
During Russia Major attack on Ukraine on September 4, a Russian drone went off course and landed in the direction of Belarus. On August 26, at least six Russian drones has reportedly entered Belarusian airspace in another mass attack on Ukraine.
The Belarusian Defense Ministry has not commented on the alleged incident.
Minsk has never publicly objected to the reported drone incursions into its territory to its main ally, Moscow.
Instead, the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed that his country’s armed forces had shot down several Ukrainian drones over his airspace, a claim denied by Belarusian Hajun.
The statement came amid growing tensions between Belarus and Ukraine, as the Belarusian military launched a considerable power to the border, supposedly for exercises.
Although the Belarusian armed forces support Russian aggression against Kyiv, they do not directly participate in the war.
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