Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that Russian forces are circumventing Ukraine's air defense lines by routing attack drones through Belarusian territory.
"They see our lines – our interceptor lines, which we are using quite effectively – and they are trying to bypass them," Zelenskyy told journalists. "They are doing it, by the way, with the help of Belarus – Belarusian territory – and technically with the assistance from Belarus as well."
The president made the statement while discussing recent drone attacks on the city of Kovel in the Volyn Oblast. The issue was addressed during a Staff meeting dedicated entirely to drones and defense strategies.
"This is a serious issue. I have set all the tasks for the next Staff meeting. There will be responses," Zelenskyy said.
On the evening of 25 December, Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Volyn, damaging a locomotive and freight car at the Kovel railway station, according to Ivan Rudnytskyi, head of the Volyn Regional Military Administration. The blast wave shattered windows at a locomotive depot workshop.
The following morning, critical infrastructure in the region came under attack again, with air raid alerts sounding in Kamin-Kashyrskyi, Kovel, and Lutsk districts. Approximately 8,000 customers lost power, with restoration work ongoing.
During the night of 25-26 December, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with an Iskander ballistic missile and 99 drones. Ukrainian defenders destroyed 73 targets. In addition to Volyn, Russian strikes hit Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts.
