Ukraine says Belarus relay shutdown reduces Russian drone threat to Kyiv

What happened

According to Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov, cited by local outlet New Voice Ukraine on June 25, relay stations in Belarus used to control Russian drones have been shut down. This reportedly reduces Moscow’s ability to carry out precise, real-time UAV strikes on Kyiv.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Beskrestnov’s statement suggests a significant degradation in Russia’s drone operational capabilities over the Ukrainian capital. However, this claim has not been independently confirmed by third-party sources or verified through available intelligence reports.

The implication is that Russia may face increased difficulty in conducting targeted drone attacks, potentially lessening the precision and frequency of strikes on Kyiv. This could alter the operational environment for Ukrainian defense forces and reduce risks to civilian infrastructure in the city.

Known from the source

• Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov said on June 25 that drone control relay stations in Belarus were shut down.
• According to Beskrestnov, this shutdown lowers the threat of precise, real-time controlled drone strikes on Kyiv.
• The source of this information is New Voice Ukraine, a local English public source.
• No independent confirmation of this claim is present in the supplied material.

What remains unclear

Despite this report, Belarusian and Russian officials have not publicly acknowledged the relay shutdown, nor have independent military analysts confirmed changes to drone control networks. The situation remains fluid, and potential retaliatory measures or alternative control methods may still be in place.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verify the shutdown of Belarus drone control relay stations from independent or official sources. Confirm any observable decline in Russian drone strike activity on Kyiv linked to the relay shutdown. Ensure phrasing clearly attributes claims to Beskrestnov and New Voice Ukraine.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: New Voice Ukraine. Open the source.