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Yuriy Sak, adviser to the Ukrainian defense minister, speaking to Rudaw on December 22, 2022. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Russia has recently acquired hundreds of Iranian drones and is using them to attack civilian cities, a Ukrainian military advisor told Rudaw on Thursday, saying it is “very clear” that the drones are Iranian-made.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said that Russia has received a new batch of Shahed drones from Iran, numbering 250 items, adding that they are primarily used to attack the country’s energy sector.
“Russia is acquiring Iranian drones and is using them against Ukrainian civilian cities and electricity infrastructure,” Yuriy Sak, adviser to the Ukrainian defense minister, told Rudaw’s Hawraz Gulpi on Thursday, adding “We are improving gradually, our air defenses, and we are learning how to cope with these Iranian drones”
Sak said that Russia had recently used Iranian drones to target “critical” electricity infrastructure in Ukraine, leaving millions of people were left without electricity, but stressed that the success rate of the Ukrainian air defenses were “going up” and that they were shooting down the “vast majority” of the drones.
Ukraine has received large amounts of military support and air defenses from its Western allies, making it difficult for Russian warplanes to target the country. Explosive drones have become a cheaper and more efficient weapon for Russia.
The advisor added that their forces have disassembled several of the drones that they have shot down, claiming that it was “clear” that the drones are Iranian-made.
“If you look inside these drones, you can see sometimes even the writing in Farsi language, so it is very clear to us that these are Iranian drones.”
The US, UK, and European Union have 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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said that Russia has received a new batch of Shahed drones from Iran, numbering 250 items, adding that they are primarily used to attack the country’s energy sector.
“Russia is acquiring Iranian drones and is using them against Ukrainian civilian cities and electricity infrastructure,” Yuriy Sak, adviser to the Ukrainian defense minister, told Rudaw’s Hawraz Gulpi on Thursday, adding “We are improving gradually, our air defenses, and we are learning how to cope with these Iranian drones”
Sak said that Russia had recently used Iranian drones to target “critical” electricity infrastructure in Ukraine, leaving millions of people were left without electricity, but stressed that the success rate of the Ukrainian air defenses were “going up” and that they were shooting down the “vast majority” of the drones.
Ukraine has received large amounts of military support and air defenses from its Western allies, making it difficult for Russian warplanes to target the country. Explosive drones have become a cheaper and more efficient weapon for Russia.
The advisor added that their forces have disassembled several of the drones that they have shot down, claiming that it was “clear” that the drones are Iranian-made.
“If you look inside these drones, you can see sometimes even the writing in Farsi language, so it is very clear to us that these are Iranian drones.”
The US, UK, and European Union have 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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