Russia loses key advantage following shutdown of signal repeaters in Belarus – Ihnat

The shutdown of signal repeaters located in Belarus along the Ukrainian border has significantly weakened the Russian military’s ability to control drones in real time within Ukraine’s border regions, Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force, said during the national news telethon.

At the same time, he stressed that the threat of enemy drone attacks has not gone away.

«Enemy drones have not gone anywhere; they continue to fly just as they did before,» Ihnat noted.

Repeaters aided real-time targeting

According to the Air Force representative, specialized towers provided a stable connection between the operator and the drone, enabling high-precision strikes on Ukrainian facilities.

«The towers installed along the Ukrainian border on the Belarusian side allowed the transmission of signals to the operator’s station over long distances,» Ihnat explained.

This system allowed Russian operators to quickly change drone objectives and adjust their routes in mid-air.

Moving targets also hit in attacks

Ihnat reported that by receiving real-time video feeds, the Russian military targeted not only stationary facilities but also mobile assets.

Specifically, mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and railway trains became targets for strike drones.

«With a real-time video feed, the enemy can launch drone strikes even on moving objects or alter attack coordinates,» the Air Force representative stressed.

Threat persists

Despite the weakened drone control system, the Russian army continues to actively deploy strike drones against Ukraine.

However, the disabling or shutdown of repeaters near the border complicates the enemy’s ability to rapidly guide and adjust strikes in border areas.