Sun Sep 15 15:01:30 UTC 2024: ## Iran-Made Drones Plague Ukraine: Two Years of Attacks, Thousands Launched
**KYIV** – Ukraine has reported that Russia has launched an estimated 8,060 Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones at Ukrainian territory since the beginning of the war. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry marked the two-year anniversary of the first Shahed-136 drone being shot down by Ukrainian defenders on Friday, highlighting the devastating impact these drones have had on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
The ministry stated that the drone attacks have resulted in the loss of homes and lives, a sentiment echoed by the G7 foreign ministers in a statement condemning Iran’s supply of ballistic missiles and UAVs to Russia. The G7 ministers called on Iran to immediately cease all support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and halt the transfer of weapons, emphasizing that such actions pose a direct threat to the Ukrainian people and international security.
Western reports suggest that Russia has been producing Iranian Shahed-136 drones at a factory in Tatarstan, Russia, and has also received short-range ballistic missiles from Iran. These reports have been confirmed by US and European officials, while Iran has denied any involvement in supplying Russia with these weapons.
US President Biden and British Prime Minister Starmer have expressed concerns regarding the support Russia is receiving from both Iran and North Korea in the form of lethal weapons.
The deployment of Iranian-made drones alongside other Russian weapons, including cruise and ballistic missiles, has strained Ukraine’s air defense system and forced the country to rely heavily on expensive air defense systems to counter the relatively cheap drones, impacting the Ukrainian defense budget. Western countries have provided Ukraine with additional air defense systems to combat this threat.
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