The Iranian-made Shahed drone being deployed by Russia to strike Kyiv citizens trends now
Russian drones have continued to rain down on Ukraine, ravaging the country as buildings erupt into fireballs, leaving civilians dead and the rest fleeing for their lives.
The Kremlin's 'kamikaze' suicide drones have caused chaos across the war-torn country and have become just another aspect of daily life for those on the ground.
These drones - often small in size a cheap in comparison to other similar weapons - have become an integral part of Russia's war tactics, and one drone in particular more than any other.
In an attack on Tuesday, the Iranian-supplied Shahed-136 UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) shot down from the sky over Kyiv in successive waves of 31 strikes, Ukraine's armed forces said. Although Ukraine's air defense said they were able to shoot down 29 of the strikes, Russia's drones have shown no relent.
And while sophisticated drones have been used in return by Ukrainian forces, such as the US-made Predator, the Shahed-136 has proven to be far cruder.
The Shaheds, which Russia has rebranded as Geran-2 drones, pack an explosive charge and be fired one after the other.
With a range of more than 600 miles, the explosive-laden drones can 'loiter' above potential targets for hours before being slammed directly into enemy soldiers, vehicles or buildings from above - causing an explosion.
An Iranian-made suicide drone, launched by Russia, is seen flying above Kyiv amid an aerial attack on the capital, Ukraine, October 17, 2022
A ball of smoke and flames rises over the streets of Kyiv as the city is bombarded by a swarm of Iranian-made kamikaze drones, hitting residential areas and energy infrastructure, October 17, 2022
Iran previously denied providing Russia with weapons, before admitting late last year to providing Moscow with ‘a small number of drones months before the Ukraine war'.
Ukraine has accused Russia of using Iranian-made Shahed-136 UAVs - also known as suicide drones - against military and civilian targets.
Tehran has denied selling the drones to Russia, but there is mounting evidence that Moscow is deploying the weapon.
Here are some facts and figures about the deadly drone:
Weapon type: Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) In service since: 2021 Made in: Iran Maker: HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation) Weight: 440lbs Warhead: 80lbs Length: 12 feet Wingspan: 8 feet Range: 600 miles Flight height: 13,000ft max. Speed: 120 miles per hour Used in: Yemen, Iraq and Ukraine
Iranian-made Shahed-136 UAVs
Advertisement
These drones have also been repeatedly used by Russia throughout its attack on Ukraine, being used to target urban centers and power stations.
They are comparatively cheap, costing in the region of £16,000.
Their use in swarms presented a major challenge to Ukrainian air defenses earlier in the war
And although Western nations have since bolstered the Ukrainian air defenses with anti-missile systems to shoot down the drones, their sheer relentlessness still grips the country.
Ukrainians who have witnessed attacks by the drones say they make a recognisable noise, and have described them as sounding like 'motorbikes' in the air, while some soldiers have taken to calling it 'the flying lawnmower'.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a video in October last year showing a smoking wreckage that it claimed to be one of the drones. The post said it had been shot down by a machine gun.
'This is a primitive handmade product,' Yuriy Ignat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, told Radio Free Europe (RFE) after the attack last year.
'It's not a high-tech conveyor-belt production like the [Turkish-made] Bayraktar or American and Israeli [unmanned aerial vehicles],' he
