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Passengers ride in a city bus down a street during a power cut in downtown Odessa, on December 5, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photo: Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan - Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said over 1.5 million people were left without power in the southern port city of Odessa after an overnight Russian attack using Iranian-made drones.
The local energy authorities warned that repairs to the infrastructure could take between weeks to three months, making it difficult for locals to stay warm during the cold winter weather.
“After the night strike by Iranian drones, Odessa and other cities and villages in the region are in the dark. So far, more than 1.5 million people in Odessa are without electricity,” Zelensky said in his video address.
He claimed that 15 Shahed drones were used, referring to Iranian-made drones, and that Ukrainian air defense forces had downed 10 of them.
The attack comes after the US warned of deepening ties and military cooperation between Russia and Iran. On Friday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby cited US intelligence reports to claim that Russia was seeking to provide air defense systems, fighter jets, and helicopters to Iran.
Washington has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying drones for Russia to use in its war in Ukraine. Kirby stated that the Biden administration has reason to believe that Tehran is considering selling ballistic missiles to Russia but that it did not have any further information, as reported by AP.
“It continues to become clear that Iran has become Russia’s top military backer,” Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the US State Department reiterated on Friday. He added that measures will be taken on actors involved in transferring Iranian drones to Russia, as well as on Russian entities involved in their acquisition.
Russia has been accelerating its targeting of key infrastructure in Ukraine following major military defeats. On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said attacks on energy targets would continue.
The US, UK, and European Union in October imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran over the use of Iranian drones in Ukraine. Last month, Iran’s foreign ministry admitted that drones had been sent to Russia, but claimed the transaction had preceded the war in Ukraine which broke out in February.
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