Ukraine: Iranian-made “kamikaze drones” hit a city near Kyiv

Dozens of firefighters rushed to put out flames in a town near Ukraine’s capital today after what local officials said were strikes by Iranian-made drones, often known as “kamikaze drones”.

Six drones hit a building overnight in Bela Chergva, about 75 kilometers south of Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast Governor Oleksiy Kuleba said.

Ukraine has reported a series of Russian strikes using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones over the past three weeks, but the strike in Bela Chergva was by far the closest to the capital Kyiv.

Iran denies supplying drones to Russia, while the Kremlin has not commented.

“There was a loud noise, a piercing sound. I heard the first blow, I saw and heard the second. There was a hum and then an explosion,” said 80-year-old Volodymyr, who lives across the street from the affected building.

Other residents told Reuters they heard four explosions in quick succession, followed by two more about an hour later.

The Ukrainian forces it seems that got caught by the drones, which Kyiv says Moscow began using on the battlefield in September.

Speaking on television today, the representative of the Ukrainian Air Force Yuri Ikhnat stressed that the drones were launched from occupied areas in southern Ukraine and that six more drones were shot down before reaching their target.

“This is a new threat to all (Ukraine’s) defense forces and we have to use all available means to try to deal with it,” Ikhnat said, comparing the drone’s small size to an artillery shell.

The attacks left residents in Bela Cergva frantically scrambling for shelter as air raid sirens sounded.

“I can’t understand what these Russians are thinking. I don’t know when we will manage to expel them from our territory. Only tears and sadness for my Ukraine. That’s all I can say,” said 74-year-old Lubdila Rasevska.

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