Russia Uses Iranian Drones In Intense Air Campaign Against Ukraine

Municipal workers and a police officer inspect remains of a residential building destroyed during a Russian missile and drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the city of Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine March 29, 2024.
Municipal workers and a police officer inspect remains of a residential building destroyed during a Russian missile and drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the city of Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine March 29, 2024.

Ukraine's Air Force disclosed that Russian forces conducted attacks overnight, launching four missiles into eastern Ukraine and launching 12 Iranian-made Shahed drones across the country.

According to Ukrainian authorities, nine of the drones were successfully intercepted and shot down in various regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Odesa, and Poltava. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties resulting from these attacks.

The recent escalation comes amidst a sustained air-strike campaign by Russia, targeting Ukraine's energy sector. Over the past week, Russian forces have fired a total of 190 rockets, 140 Shahed drones, and 700 anti-aircraft missiles, leading Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to denounce it as a "dramatic increase in Russia’s air terror."

The intensification of Russia attacks comes after months of inaction by the US Congress to renew military assistance to Ukraine.

Simultaneously, Russian forces are intensifying ground offensives, engaging in 72 combat clashes in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces within the last day alone, as reported by the Ukrainian military's daily bulletin on Saturday.

Despite facing significant pressure, Ukrainian forces managed to repel numerous Russian assaults near strategic cities such as Avdiyivka, Bakhmut, Lyman in Donetsk, and Bilohorivka in Luhansk.

Meanwhile, Iran's involvement in supporting Russia's military actions against Ukraine has drawn international scrutiny. Since mid-2022, Iran has supplied Russia with more than a thousand Shahed UAVs, extensively utilized in targeting civilian infrastructure and cities in Ukraine.

Earlier this month, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps accused Iran of providing Russia with ballistic missiles for use in the conflict, condemning Iran's negative influence not only in the Middle East but also in Europe.