Russian drone incursion prompts Belarusian military response
2:43 PM EDT, July 13, 2024
The Shahed drone used by the Russians, which was supposed to strike Ukraine, entered Belarusian airspace. The unmanned aerial vehicle flew approximately 220 miles, and finally, Minsk decided to scramble helicopters and fighter jets to intercept the machine.
Ukrainska Pravda reported the intrusion of the Russian drone into Belarusian airspace, citing Belarusian Hajun, a group monitoring Belarusian military movements.
The incident occurred at 9 PM Eastern Time. At that time, the Shahed flew over Belarus in the village of Lojew in the Homyel region and continued its flight northward. The unmanned aerial vehicle flew over Gomel and Zhlobin, reached the Mogilev region, and then into the Minsk region, approaching Minsk as closely as possible, Ukrainska Pravda reports.
Minsk reacts. Helicopters and fighter jets scrambled
Hajun reported that around 11 PM Eastern Time in Minsk, it was decided to scramble Su-30 fighters and Mi-24 helicopters to intercept the drone. The unmanned aerial vehicle then headed towards Vitebsk.
According to Hajun observers, the machine's fate is unknown. It is unclear whether the drone was successfully intercepted. However, the report says this is another incident of this type that has occurred in the past few days.
