Status: 15.01.2024, 17:10 PM
By: Nils Hinsberger
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Russia's new drones are faster and more precise than their predecessors. A challenge for Ukraine. The new drones probably come from Iran again.
Moscow – In the Ukraine war, Russia has been relying on so-called kamikaze drones since 2022. The unmanned aircraft can be controlled remotely. In war, they are used to fly precise attacks on enemy targets. Now, apparently, Vladimir Putin's military has a new type of drones in war. The Shahed-238 is the next stage in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. Like them, the drones are likely to come from Moscow's ally – Iran.
The drones are so-called kamikaze drones. These drones can be directed directly into the intended target. To do this, they carry an explosive device that explodes on contact. The drones are also destroyed by the operation.
New kamikaze drones pose a challenge to Ukraine
The head of the research and development department of the Austrian Armed Forces, Colonel Markus Reisner, sees two major challenges for Ukraine due to the use of the new drones, he writes on the website of the Austrian Armed Forces. On the one hand, a new turbine engine provides shorter windows of opportunity for Ukrainian air defense to respond to a drone attack. The Shahed-238 can reach targets much faster than the Shahed-136, which is only equipped with propeller propulsion, Reisner said.
A military kamikaze drone in action (archive image). Russia is probably using new drones in the Ukraine war. A problem for Ukraine. © IMAGO/xOlenax
On the other hand, it will be much more difficult to intercept the drones after early detection. The high speed ensures that anti-aircraft guns can hit the unmanned aircraft more heavily. In addition, the drones would be able to act much more precisely, Reisner reports. Thanks to a new navigation unit, the drone is able to hit not only stationary but also moving targets.
Shahed-238 probably comes from Russia's ally Iran
The use of the new drone versions was evidenced by the discovery of debris on January 8, reports Military Watch Magazine. Pictures of the parts had been published on social media, which would indicate their use in the war. The first use of the previous versions in the war against Ukraine is said to have taken place as early as September 2022.
It is clear to Reisner that the drones come from Iran. This is proven by the fact that the first model of the Shahed-238 was presented during an exhibition in Tehran. The event was organized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Military Watch Magazine also speculates that the drones may have been made specifically for Russia. The magazine justifies the assumption with the high price – about twice as much as for the older drones. Russia would have the necessary budget to acquire such drones. (nhi)