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Russia Establishes New Shahed Launch Sites Along Belarusian Border
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Russia has deployed at least five new launch facilities for attack drones near the border with Belarus, significantly altering the landscape of aerial threats during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Satellite imagery confirm the construction of these sites in the Bryansk, Oryol, and Smolensk regions, with several facilities located just kilometers from the Belarusian border. One of the most significant installations, situated near the village of Tsymbulovo in the Oryol region, has been described in Russian sources as one of the largest drone centers in the world, according to Radio Svoboda on June 12.
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These new launch points allow for reduced flight times for drones heading toward Kyiv and Ukraine's western regions. Military analysts note that Russia is increasingly utilizing flight paths that cross or run parallel to the border with Belarus.
"A significant portion of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles during massive strikes passes through the territory of Belarus or moves along the border line," Ukrainian military officials noted.
Military analyst and deputy general director of an electronic warfare manufacturing company Anatoliy Khrapchynsky suggests that this infrastructure configuration provides Russia with new tactical advantages. Some of these sites, which began expanding in 2024, are reportedly capable of housing hundreds of drones simultaneously.
While Ukrainian forces continue to monitor these border-hugging flight paths, officials have stated that they do not intend to extend the scope of the hostilities into Belarusian territory.
Russia began construction on its first entirely new military base in Novaya Vilga, near Petrozavodsk, which was located close to the eastern border of Finland. Former Finnish intelligence officer and military expert Marko Eklund indicated that the facility was designed to house between 4,000 and 6,000 personnel.
Active development of the site accelerated during the spring of 2026, as construction crews erected approximately a dozen large barracks. Russian authorities acknowledged the development following an inspection visit by Deputy Minister of Defense Pavel Fradkov, noting that the site was intended to eventually include more than 50 distinct structures, such as apartment buildings and sports facilities.
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