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Before-and-after photos show the moment an Iranian 'suicide drone' detonates in Russian strike on Ukraine

Sinéad Baker   

Before-and-after photos show the moment an Iranian 'suicide drone' detonates in Russian strike on Ukraine
  • Russia attacked Kyiv with drones, killing at least three people according to the state emergency body.
  • Multiple Ukrainian officials said Russia used Iran-made drones in the Monday morning strikes.

Before-and-after photos show a drone hitting Kyiv on Monday morning as part of a Russian attack that Ukrainian officials said involved Iran-made "suicide" drones.

The two images are above, showing the distinctive delta-shaped Shahed-136 drone pointing straight at a target in the Ukrainian capital.

It was captured by Yasuyoshi Chiba, a photographer for the AFP news agency. It was not immediately clear what part of the city the strike took place.

The first image showed the drone descending past some trees and a lamp post. The second image shows a fiery explosion on the far side of a wall, with one person running and a second apparently taking cover on the sidewalk.

Kyiv was hit by multiple drones on Monday. The photo below shows the aftermath of a strike in a different area.

Serhiy Kruk, the head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, said three people were killed. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said 28 drones were sent towards the city.

Klitschko and other Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russia used "kamikaze drones," which are drones that explode on impact.

Multiple Ukrainian officials identified the drones as ones made in Iran, which are being increasingly seen on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The photo below shows another view of a Shahed-136 above Kyiv on Monday.

The drones are relatively cheap and easy to use, which means that Russia can use lots of them, experts previously told Insider's Michael Peck.

That means Russia could overwhelm Ukrainian forces with the drones, which means Ukraine could lose one of the advantages that comes with them being slow and low-flying: they are relatively easy to shoot down.

Ukraine was able to take advantage of that lack of speed and size on Monday. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko and Ukraine's air force both said Ukraine was able to shoot most of them down.

The drones have a range of around 1,250 miles, allowing Russia to strike parts of Ukraine far from the battlefield, that its troops have not been able to reach.

The UK Ministry of Defense also said earlier this month that the Shahed-136 "only has a small explosive payload" that means it is unlikely to meet Russia's desire for a drone that can do "deep strike" attacks.

Iran has repeatedly denied giving Russia weapons, despite evidence of their use in Ukraine.

A foreign ministry spokesperson repeated that denial on Monday, Reuters reported.

The EU's foreign policy chief said on Monday that the foreign ministers of EU member countries will meet to "look for concrete evidence" that Iran was getting involved in the war, and warned that Iran could be sanctioned if that involvement is proven.

US intelligence officials told The Washington Post that Iran has agreed to send more weapons to Russia, including surface-to-surface missiles and more drones.

Russia has lost a significant amount of its weaponry as it loses to and retreats from Ukrainian forces in the east.

Ukraine is now using some of this against Russia's military.

And Insider's Jake Epstein reported last week that military experts believe Russia had burned through much of its cruise-missile supply.



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