Jet-powered Shaheds over Kyiv are controlled through towers in Belarus, expert says
Photo: Relay tower (Getty Images)
Russia is using relay towers on Belarusian territory to communicate with jet-powered Shaheds attacking Kyiv and the Kyiv region. One such tower covers about 140 kilometers, and Russia plans to build around 26 towers along the border with Ukraine, according to aviation expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi.
How the towers provide communications
According to the expert, the towers located in the Belarusian "appendage" bordering Chornobyl provide a direct radio line of sight over the Kyiv Reservoir. Khrapchynskyi clarified that this isn't about controlling the sky, but about maintaining a high-quality connection at a distance of up to 140 kilometers.
Strikes on Kyiv are carried out online via Belarusian relay towers, Khrapchynskyi said. Additionally, mobile networks and separate communication modules may be used, according to the expert.
How many drones can one tower support
The expert noted that the Russian army launches four to five drones per hour, which he believes indicates the towers' capacity. According to his estimate, each tower can provide real-time video signal and data packet transmission for 2-4 Shaheds simultaneously. Groups of drones fly in, complete their tasks or are intercepted, after which the next wave enters.
Khrapchynskyi stressed that this is only the beginning. According to him, Russia is continuing to build towers, extending them toward the borders with Poland and the Baltic states.
Earlier, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine spokesperson Andriy Demchenko said that signal repeaters that boost the signal for Russian drones continue to be periodically activated in Belarus.
