Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson — on repeaters in Belarus and Kalinoŭcy in Russian captivity

Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Heorhii Tikhy during the Ostroh Forum commented to "Belsat" on the operation of repeaters in Belarus and the situation with Belarusian volunteers in Russian captivity.

On repeaters

Throughout the last and current weeks, Ukrainian monitoring channels detected the operation of four repeaters simultaneously on the territory of Belarus, which provide control for reactive drones. Thanks to them, Russian operators could, in real-time mode, target drones at trains and refueling stations on the territory of Ukraine, near the Polish border.

The repeaters were recorded in the areas of the settlements Khoiniki, Dzyerbyenka, Makhnavichy, and Buda-Safiyewka. The deployed network significantly increased the flight range of the drones and allowed them to reach as far as the border with Poland.

Heorhii Tikhy confirmed that the repeaters in Belarus were switched off in June after Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced his ultimatum, and now there are new reports of their operation.

“In fact, the repeaters that President Zelenskyy mentioned in June were switched off afterwards. We are indeed seeing various reports now that some repeaters may have started working again, but I am convinced that after a certain period they must also be switched off. And as far as I know from our military, we are actually counting on such a development of events.”

On Belarusians in Russian captivity

The MFA Press Secretary said that Ukraine is striving to return both Ukrainian servicemen and Belarusian volunteers who fought as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Russian captivity. Belarusians are on the lists of prisoners.

“This means that we consider them Ukrainian servicemen regardless of citizenship and insist on their return,” Tikhy emphasizes.

However, if a Belarusian or a citizen of another country fights on the side of the Russian Federation and is captured in Ukraine, their future may vary, and international humanitarian law allows for different scenarios.

“For example, a citizen of an African country is captured by us, and he says that he does not want to return to Russia, but wants to be repatriated, returned to his country. This is one of the possible scenarios, especially if a foreign country applies and asks for the return of such a citizen. Therefore, there can even be some forms where this person does not return anywhere,” Tikhy explains.

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