Ukraine says it shot down 70 per cent of Iranian drones fired by Russia
- But Kyiv is anticipating that Moscow will roll out another batch of the weapons as Ukrainian forces advance on Russian-occupied Kherson
- Russia, meanwhile, has doubled down on its claim that Ukraine is preparing to use a radioactive ‘dirty bomb’
Ukrainian authorities tried to dampen public fears over Russia’s use of Iranian drones by claiming increasing success on Monday in shooting them down, while the Kremlin’s talk of a possible “dirty bomb” attack added another worrying dimension as the war enters its ninth month.
Ukrainians are bracing for less electric power this winter following a sustained Russian barrage on their infrastructure in recent weeks. Citizens in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolayiv lined up for water and essential supplies Monday as Ukrainian forces advanced on the nearby Russian-occupied city of Kherson.
Ukraine’s forces have shot down more than two-thirds of the around 330 Shahed drones that Russia has fired through Saturday, the head of Ukraine’s intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, said on Monday.
Budanov said Russia’s military had ordered about 1,700 drones of different types and is rolling out a second batch of about 300 Shaheds.
“Terror with the use of ‘Shaheds’ can actually last for a long time,” he was quoted as saying in the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper, adding: “Air defence is basically coping, 70 per cent are shot down.”
Both Russia and Iran deny that Iranian-built drones have been used but the triangle-shaped Shahed-136s have rained down on civilians in Kyiv and elsewhere.