The Kremlin has begun receiving regular resupply of small numbers of Iranian-made Kamikaze drones, the UK Defense Ministry said in a Sunday morning intelligence update.
After a two-week pause in Shahed-136 suicide drones in late February, since the beginning of March Russia has launched about 71 of the one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles across Ukraine.
"Russia is likely launching Shaheds from two axes: from Russia’s Krasnodar Krai in the east and from Bryansk Oblast in the north-east," assessed the UK Defense Ministry "This allows Russia flexibility to target a broad sector of Ukraine and decreases flying time to targets in the north of Ukraine. It is also likely to be a further attempt to stretch Ukrainian air defenses.”
A Russian drone struck Nikopol on Saturday night, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast military administrator Serhiy Lysak said in a Telegram post on Sunday. Damage was still being assessed on Sunday morning, but no casualties were reported.
Russia has been using Iranian drones for months
Russia has been using Iranian drones of various types for several months, according to western authorities. Iranian officials have repeatedly denied the sale of the weapon platforms to the Kremlin.
Ukraine has appealed to Israel for aid in combatting the drones, requesting air defense units. The previous Israeli government declined these requests, but former defense minister Benny Gantz said that Jerusalem would help Kyiv develop early warning systems.