Ukraine faces new Russian threat from Iran-made ‘kamikaze’ drones

 The Russian army has stepped up the number of attacks by Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones, aiming a dozen such devices at a town near Kyiv on Wednesday alone. 

While their effectiveness is limited, the drones offer a cheap alternative to missile strikes and allow Russian forces to keep up the pressure on Ukrainian cities located far from the frontline.

President Vladimir Putin’s forces may be on the back foot in the east and south of Ukraine, but they still have the ability to strike deep into enemy territory. Such is the message delivered by Iranian-manufactured drones, which the Russian army has used over the past three weeks to strike artillery positions, ammunition depots and civilian infrastructures.

On Wednesday, a swarm of twelve drones flew straight to Bila Tserkva, a garrison town located about 90 kilometres south of Kiev, marking a first for an area that had so far been largely spared by the fighting. Six drones were shot down by Ukrainian forces, but the other half crashed into buildings, causing extensive damage and injuring one soldier.

Until then, southern cities including Odessa had been the main target of kamikaze drones and other flying devices capable of dropping bombs.

“Even if the Russians know they will not take Odessa, they want to maintain the psychological pressure on the opposite camp and make clear that the war will go on, including for the civilian population,” said General Dominique Trinquand, a former head of the French military mission to the United Nations.