Kamikaze drones knocked out several energy facilities in Ukraine last winter.
The Ukrainian air force is now warning that it will be even worse this year.
Russia plans ‘unprecedented’ wave of drone strikes, reports say Kyiv post.
Autumn is here and it’s getting colder in Ukraine, which faces a second winter of mass bombing of its energy facilities.
Ukraine’s air force expects a record number of Russian drone strikes against Ukrainian targets. Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat says so Kyiv post.
Ihnat believes that figures for September show that Russia’s use of Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drones has increased significantly – and that it will only increase in the near future.
– It is necessary to fight against drones because during this autumn and winter, records will be broken in the number of attacks with Shahed drones, says Ihnat.
“Worrying”
In September, the Air Force recorded around 500 attacks by the Iranian drones, compared to just over 1,000 in the past six months.
– It is worrying that we have already encountered half of that number within a single month, continues Ihnat.
Attacks on energy facilities last winter damaged a significant part of Ukraine’s power system and forced most cities to ration electricity and hot water. Some areas were left completely in the dark for certain periods.
Despite Ukraine strengthening its air defenses, several officials have warned of the risk of a repeat this winter, with the power grid still far from being rebuilt after the latest bombing, writes Reuters.