World can stop Russian use of Iranian drones, says Zelensky

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY has said “the world has everything it needs” to stop Russia using Iranian drones against Ukraine after dozens were expertly downed over Israel on Saturday night.

Moscow has been using cheap “kamikaze” drones to attack Ukraine’s power network, grain storehouses and other targets in its towns and cities.

Fitted with warheads of up to 50kg and with a range of up to 2,000 kilometres, they have become a mainstay of Moscow’s arsenal and on Saturday comprised the bulk of Iran’s unprecedented assault on Israel, with dozens fired by the Islamic republic.

Also on Saturday, Russia deployed the drones in a strike on Kharkiv in an attack that killed six people and wounded at least 10 others, emergency services said.

Speaking after the attacks, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine is in desperate need of help. He said: “The world has everything it needs to stop any missiles, Shahed drones and other means of terror. The world needs only solutions that can bring back real, reliable security.”

Mr Zelensky has previously complained that the war in Israel has detracted from his own fight, and of waning Western support in general. On Saturday Israel’s key allies, Britain and America, shot down dozens of Iranian drones and missiles.

“Ukraine can stop Russian terror, can protect life, the life of all of Europe and other regions around the world from the spread of evil. It is for this that we need the support of our partners, and every day of delay in aid is another destroyed house and destroyed lives,” he said.

Russia began using the Shahed drones to attack Ukrainian cities towards the end of 2022 and conserve its more valuable missiles. They have become easily identifiable by the noise they make in-flight, with comparisons drawn to mopeds and lawnmowers.

On Sunday, Ukrainian officials said that 10 Shahed drones attacked Kharkiv overnight but that the city’s air defence systems had shot them all down.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top commander, has said that the situation had “significantly deteriorated” with Ukraine heavily outgunned. Yesterday, he said the Kremlin wants to capture the town of Chasiv Yar by May 9, Russia’s Victory Day.