Belarus provides Russia with its mobile communication towers, helps coordinate drone attacks on Ukraine – expert

Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, director for development at a defense enterprise and a reserve Air Force officer, stated this in an exclusive comment to Ukrinform.

According to him, the use of Starlink allows the enemy to maintain a stable communication channel with drones even amid active Ukrainian EW operations, bypass interference and fly at ultra-low altitudes while remaining undetected.

"Such drones can maneuver and evade detection by radars and other detection systems. This allows them to reach large cities, including Kyiv, as happened on January 26, when the air raid alert in the capital lasted for more than three hours," the expert said.

He noted that even without a warhead, such UAVs pose a serious threat, as they may carry shrapnel charges that, when detonated, can injure people within a radius of up to 300 meters. That is why decisions to destroy drones in densely populated areas are made with particular caution, Khrapchynskyi said.

"Starlink communication is used on both reconnaissance and strike drones. The platform is the same, and a reconnaissance drone is almost indistinguishable in appearance from a strike drone," he said.

At the same time, he pointed to another threat: Russia's use of mobile communication towers located in Belarus.

"In Belarus, certain mobile communication towers are being modified to emit a radio beacon signal so that drones operating in Ukrainian airspace can form their own coordinate system," he said.

According to the expert, Russia may employ the tactic of a so-called lead drone that coordinates a group of UAVs and transmits information to other units.

"The main threat is that the enemy is creating a smart weapon system that can operate in a group and help other drones adjust their actions," Khrapchynskyi said.

He added that the Russians constantly change their tactics, and effective countermeasures require comprehensive and costly solutions.

"Today we are facing three complex components: a lack of funding, technology, and personnel. Countering these threats requires a large number of sensors and systems that must operate within a single information framework without delays," the expert said.

In his opinion, the new defense minister must unite the efforts of the state, the military, and the engineering community to create a multi-layered airspace protection system.

"It is important for us to develop engineering solutions that will help the military respond to threats more quickly. We will not be able to cover the entire territory of Ukraine at once, but we can properly structure the stages of implementing such a system," he concluded.

Ukrinform photos can be purchased here