Russia cannot yet target western Ukraine with guided Shaheds due to range limits, says expert
Russia's guided Shahed drones cannot reach Lviv and Volyn in western Ukraine because their control network is out of range, but relays in Belarus could extend the threat westward, according to Serhii Beskrestnov.
Russia is currently unable to deploy guided Shahed drones against Lviv and Volyn in western Ukraine because its drone control network has insufficient range, Ukrainian military expert Serhii Beskrestnov has said. According to him, this limitation keeps western Ukraine out of reach of Russia's precision strike drones for now.
However, Beskrestnov warned that the situation could change if Russia installs signal relays in Belarus. Such relays would extend the control network's range, effectively pushing the threat further west. This would put cities like Lviv and the Volyn region within striking distance of the guided drones.
Currently, Russia's guided Shaheds rely on a control network that does not cover the far western regions of Ukraine. This gap provides Ukraine with a temporary defensive advantage, but Beskrestnov stressed that without international vigilance and preventive measures, the threat could materialize if Belarus permits Russia to deploy the necessary relay equipment.
The statement comes amid intensified Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. Any extension of the control network is seen as a significant security risk to western Ukraine, which has so far been relatively sheltered from such precision strikes.
