This fall and winter will see a record number of Russian Shahed drone attacks on Ukraine, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman, Yuri Ihnat, said on national television on Oct. 6.
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“This fall/winter will probably be… not just probably, it’s already a record in terms of the usage of Shahed drones,” Ihnat said, pointing out that in Sept. alone, Russia used more than “half a thousand [Shahed drones] in just one month,” compared to just over 1,000 drones during the entire six-month heating season last year.
Ihnat also added that Russia intends to increase the production of kamikaze-type Shahed drones.
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“There are indications that it will continue to increase,” said Ihnat, noting that Ukraine, for its part, has been acquiring more Western air defense systems.
“If we look at the data provided by the intelligence services and data from certain experts, there is an increase. But without Iran, they are unlikely to be able to produce them on their own. [Even] if the production is set up, the Shahed drones assembling conveyor lines are working, then [the question of] spare parts remains. And it is obvious that they will continue to use Iran to obtain technologies they cannot produce themselves.”
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