Zelenskyy calls for stronger pressure as Russia attacks Ukraine with Iranian-made drones day and night

Since the beginning of this year, Russian forces have attacked Ukraine with more than 6,000 Shahed-type combat drones, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his address, according to Ukrinform. He noted that almost every night, and sometimes even in the morning and during the day, there is a threat of Shahed attacks in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president acknowledged the efforts of all those defending Ukraine's skies, including those units which intercept Russian kamikaze drones. Zelenskyy reminded that these combat drones were provided to Russia by Iran and have become one of the primary tools of Russian terror against Ukraine. Both Russians and Iranians have been improving these drones for more precise assaults.

“We have always told our partners that they need to be more decisive in countering such criminal alliances. Just this week, from Monday to today, Russian launched Shahed drones. On 18 October alone, Ukraine documented 129 such drones. In total, since the beginning of this year, Russia has used more than 6,130 Shaheds to strike the country,” emphasized the Ukrainian president.

He added that Ukrainian defenders are shooting down a significant portion of these drones, with electronic warfare systems playing a vital role, though not in every attack.

“That’s why more pressure is needed on Russia's ability to produce such weapons. We need the capability to destroy Shahed storage bases and all existing infrastructure for their production and logistics," Zelenskyy stressed.

He also noted that Russian terrorists unfortunately know how to exploit the time granted to them by the free world's hesitation to respond and that decisive action is necessary. On the evening of 19 October, Ukrainian air defense shot down over 30 drones during a Russian attack on Ukraine, while 13 more drones were lost due to locational issues. Read more: