Zelenskyy says he has intelligence that Russia is planning a prolonged attack using Iran supplied drones
The President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received intelligence reports that Russia is planning a protracted campaign of attacking Ukraine using Iranian-made Shahed drone attacks to demoralize Ukraine.
Though the Iranian Shahed drones are relatively slow moving and an easy target for Ukraine’s air defenses, Russia’s drone war strategy has been to launch large numbers of the uncrewed projectiles at a particular target and overwhelm Ukraine’s air surveillance and defence systems.
In his address to the people of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, “We have information that Russia is planning a protracted attack using Shahed drones. It is probably banking on exhaustion. Exhausting our people, our anti-aircraft defences, our energy.”
He further said, “We must ensure – and we will do everything for this – that this goal of terrorists fails like all the others. Now is the time when everyone involved in the protection of the sky should be especially attentive.”
Until November 2022, Iran denied supplying drones to Russia. However, it later accepted sending drones to Russia but in limited numbers. However, Zelenskyy has rejected Tehran’s account of its drone supplies with Russia, saying the number of drones shot down by Ukraine is much more than what Iran claims to have sent to Russia.
Russian drone strikes on Ukraine have increased recently with Russia launching attacks on cities and power stations across the country over the past 3 nights. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian air defenses had already shot down over 80 Iranian-made drones in the opening days of 2023.
Meanwhile, the President of the European Commission – Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed continued support to Ukraine during her first call in the new year with Zelenskyy.
Taking it to twitter, she tweeted,
In the 1st call of the new year with President @ZelenskyyUa, I conveyed my wholehearted support and best wishes for 2023 to the Ukrainian people.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 2, 2023
The EU stands by you, for as long as it takes.
We support your heroic struggle.
A fight for freedom and against brutal aggression. pic.twitter.com/sKZKilUpDg
Separately, Ukraine carried out an attack in Makiivka, a Russian-held city in Donetsk, claiming to have killed 400 Russian troops. However, Russia said it killed 63 soldiers. Russia said that Ukrainian forces fired 6 rockets using the United States (U.S.) made HIMARS rocket system at a building housing the Russian troops. Two of them were shot down by Russia. The victims were mainly mobilised troops.
Several Russian lawmakers have also strongly criticised military commanders over the attack, saying commanders must be held to account for allowing troops to concentrate in an unprotected building within range of Ukrainian rockets, where ammunition may also have been stored.
