PINSK DISTRICT, 4 October (BelTA) – Drones in flight were detected during the president’s flight across Belarus. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned it while talking to residents of the agrotown of Parokhonsk, Pinsk District, Brest Oblast, BelTA has learned.
The day before Aleksandr Lukashenko went to Pinsk District, mass media reported that two drones had been detected in Belarus’ air space when the head of state’s helicopter was in the air. Did the reports represent a deliberate attempt to inflate tensions, set Belarusians at odds with Russians or Ukrainians? What did the president think about the situation?
“In order to dismantle all kinds of conspiracy theories concerning my helicopter, the drones, and the rest: these are not my problems. These are problems of the Security Service [of the President of the Republic of Belarus]. They keep an eye on where drones fly and where the president’s helicopter should fly. It is indeed the way I approach the matter,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
According to the head of state, in the morning before the flight to Pinsk District when they started reporting the situation and the weather to him, he told them that these matters should be discussed with his pilots and the decision should be made together with the pilots. As a result, they decided to postpone the takeoff by one hour due to unfavorable weather.
“I saw that they were flying very low. Unusual low. Perhaps to avoid detection by electronics from Ukraine. Certainly, they could see the helicopter. It is big. It is no drone. I arrived just fine. This is why I don’t stress about the matter. And then again, you know, to shoot down the president’s helicopter means the war that Ukrainians don’t need. This is why I don’t think that decision makers in Ukraine are concerned about this problem. Although, what can I say, it is certainly unpleasant,” the president admitted.
Speaking about the deployment of drones, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that they are no longer a new type of weaponry. However, drones have never been used as one of the main means of destruction up till now. Both Ukraine and Russia are now buying a huge number of drones, however, learning how to fly them is as important. This is why drones lose their bearings if handled by inexperienced operators and if exposed to radioelectronic warfare. According to the head of state, this is why they fly into Belarus.
“Several flights from Russia and from Ukraine have been registered,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated. “We shoot down a lot of drones. We don’t care whether those are Russian or Ukrainian drones.”
In Belarus these matters are handled by specialists away from the public eye. The relevant agreements had been reached with both sides.
“For instance, yesterday… I was even surprised when I got the information. Our self-exiled opposition started spreading rumors that drones had been launched towards the presidential helicopter. I thought it was a minor provocation. You have to understand that we are at the frontline: a war is going on next to us, just over the fence. This is why my key task is to prevent Belarus from getting dragged into this fight, into this war,” the Belarusian leader stated. “This is why we respond to it as specialists. We respond to it quietly. But we get them to understand that they will be held accountable if things go south. We have something to respond with.”
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