Russia steps up attacks with Iranian drones, Ukraine plans defences

Ukraine’s president and security chiefs met on Monday to plan ways to counteract Russia’s use of “new types of weapons” after Moscow stepped up attacks in Odesa region using Iranian combat drones, the president’s office and a regional official said.

Russia carried out at least five attacks on targets in the region using unmanned Shahed-136 drones in the last few days, Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesperson for Odesa’s regional administration, told a news briefing.

One of the attacks hit an undisclosed military target in the southern region in the early hours of Monday, he said.

“The enemy is trying to save on missiles… these Shaheds are much cheaper, they can be used much more frequently and in pairs. We are seeing that the enemy can even launch several of these kamikaze drones for one attack,” he said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced Russia’s use of Iranian drones on Friday, and Kyiv withdrew the Iranian ambassador’s accreditation and cut its diplomatic staff in Kyiv.

Read More: Reuters