A Ukraine official on Monday alleged that Russia used Kamikaze drones in fresh attacks on capital city of Kyiv. The central Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv came under attack earlier today. As head of the Ukrainian president's staff, Andriy Yermak, claimed Kamikaze drone attack, Mayor Vitalii Klitshchko said several residential buildings were damaged.
What Are Kamikaze Drones?
Kamikaze drones are small, aerial weapons, designed to hit behind the enemy lines. Also known as 'suicide drones', they are destroyed in the attack. The drones can carry precision-guided missiles and have a payload of nearly 50 kilograms.
They are also known as a loitering weapons as they can wait in an area with a possible target for some time and strike after an enemy asset is identified. Kamikaze drones can be fired from a distance, are easy to launch and hard to detect.
The name "Kamikaze", a Japanese term meaning 'divine wind', is used as the drones are disposable and used in suicide attacks. Unlike the earlier larger and faster military drones, Kamikaze drones do not return home after dropping missiles.
Does Russia Deploy Kamikaze Drones?
Ukraine's military and US intelligence service have alleged that Russia has been using Iranian-made attack drones. According to a CNN report, US officials said in August that Russia has bought these drones and was training its forces to use them. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russia has placed an order of 2,400 Shahed-136 drones with Iran.
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Moscow has its own Kamikaze drones that were produced by the Russian arms company Kalashnikov Concern.
In September, Ukraine reported that one of these drones had been shot down for the first time by its forces close to the city of Kupyansk in Kharkiv. Since then, other attacks have been reported.