This is the second wave of kamikaze attacks by Russia on Ukraine in the past week.
We take a look at what kamikaze drones are:
The name has a WWII link
‘Kamikaze’ derives from the attack strategy adopted by the Japanese during World War II. In suicide attack mission the pilots of fighter planes loaded with explosives will hit the enemy targets to inflict maximum damage.
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Drone Kamikaze Edition
Like Japanese aircraft, modern kamikaze drones are also capable of hitting a target and destroying it.
These are also called “penetrating munitions”, as they can hover around the target area for some time (much longer than a cruise missile) and attack only when the target is located.
“These drones are very slow, but they also have a powerful charge, so a hit from them is equivalent to a hit from a missile,” said a Ukrainian military official.
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Shaheed drones are described from a family of slow, low-flying, propeller-driven missiles (which have been around since the 1980s) and have been primarily advanced by incorporating commercial GPS systems.
Although they are not fast, they fly down and are difficult to detect for air safety. Once over a city, shrapnel can kill civilians, even if their target is shot before hitting them.
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According to the US, Russia took delivery of 1,000 drones from Iran in late August.
The Russians believe that drones can be used in swarms to destroy Ukraine’s anti-aircraft batteries and that Russia has lacked air superiority throughout the war.
Defense of Ukraine against Drones
Shaheed drones are likely to be vulnerable to electronic jamming and conventional anti-aircraft guns.
Ukrainian soldiers fired from aerial drones in Kyiv
Ukraine’s difficulty lies in deciding where to keep its limited stock of air defenses. The Shaheed can fly hundreds of kilometers (Iran claims over 2,000 km, or 1,243 miles) and for hours before locking onto a target.
Ukraine may turn to Israel for protection from drone attacks; Israel has long successfully defended against Iranian drone attacks.
President Zelensky reiterates Ukraine’s resolution
“All night and all morning, the enemy terrorizes the civilian population. Kamikaze drones and missiles are attacking the whole of Ukraine. The enemy can attack our cities but it will not be able to break us,” he said.
He confirmed damage to a residential building in Kyiv after the capital’s mayor said two people were buried under the rubble.
(with agency input)