MAHMOUD BENNETT: EXPLOSIVE SUICIDE DRONES HAVE BEEN RAINING DOWN ON UKRAINE’S CAPITAL IN RECENT DAYS, SETTING BUILDINGS ON FIRE AND FORCING PEOPLE TO RUN FOR COVER. IT’S RUSSIA’S LATEST TOOL TARGETING CIVILIANS IN KEEV.
KNOWN AS THE SHAHED-136, THESE SELF-DESTRUCTING SUICIDE DRONES ARE DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL MILITARY DRONES. THEY’RE A LOT SMALLER AND ARE DESIGNED TO CRASH INTO SPECIFIC GPS COORDINATES.
THE MAIN ADVANTAGE IS THAT THEY’RE HARD TO DETECT, AND CAN BE FIRED FROM A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 1200 MILES FROM THEIR TARGET LOCATION.
THE DRONES CIRCLE AN AREA BEFORE MAKING IMPACT AND DETONATE LIKE A MISSILE.
WHILE UKRAINE HAS SHOT DOWN A FEW OF THEM, AT LEAST 5 SUICIDE DRONES HAVE MADE IMPACT IN KYIV, STRIKING THE CITY’S HEATING NETWORK AND COLLAPSING RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS, KILLING AT LEAST 4 PEOPLE.
U.S. OFFICIALS HAVE CONFIRMED THE DRONES USED IN THESE RECENT ATTACKS ARE IRANIAN MADE, THOUGH IRAN’S GOVERNMENT DENIES THE CLAIM.
RUSSIA HAS ORDERED AT LEAST 2,400 OF THESE DRONES. AND DESPITE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN U.S. SUPPORT TO UKRAINE, THE COUNTRY’S PRESIDENT SAYS THEY HAVE ONLY 10% OF WHAT THEY NEED TO FEND OFF RUSSIAN ATTACKS FROM THE SKY.