Ukraine said Wednesday its military had shot down more than 220 Iranian-made drones in a little more than one month, following this week’s attacks that used “kamikaze drones.”
“Since the first downing of an Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drone on the territory of Ukraine on September 13, the ... Air Force and other components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine have destroyed 223 UAVs of this type,” the military said in a statement.
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Russia’s missile and drone attacks on power stations and other infrastructure in Ukraine are “acts of pure terror” that amount to war crimes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.
“Yesterday we saw again Russia’s targeted attacks against civilian infrastructure. This is marking another chapter in an already very cruel war. The international order is very clear. These are war crimes,” von der Leyen said in a speech to lawmakers in the European Parliament.
Russia launched dozens of “kamikaze” drones on Ukraine on Monday, hitting energy infrastructure and killing five people in the capital of Kyiv. Ukrainians have nicknamed them “mopeds” for the loud whirring noise their engines make as they fly overhead.
Ukraine says they are Iranian-made Shahed-136 attack drones - loitering munitions that cruise towards their target before plummeting at velocity and detonating on impact. Kyiv moved to cut ties with Iran because of their use on Tuesday.
Tehran denies supplying the drones to Moscow and the Kremlin has not commented. Washington says Iran’s denial is a lie.
Read more:
‘Kamikaze drones’: what are the weapons Russia is using in Ukraine?
EU ministers warn Iran of new sanctions if involvement in Ukraine war is proven
