Confirmed: Russia uses swarming Shahed-136 loitering munition
KYIV ($1=37.05 Ukrainian Hryvnias) — Although official Russian authorities deny the purchase of Iranian munitions and their use in Ukraine, their claims are not confirmed.
In the last 24 hours, Russian armed forces launched an attack against Ukrainian positions in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Field sources were able to capture the remnants of the spent ammunition after the attack. The photo we shared clearly shows the warhead of the Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munition.
The Iranian loitering munition did not explode. At least in the one pictured, though, Ukrainian forces claim the attack was carried out primarily with this type of munition. Some sources claim that these munitions are successful, others that they fail. Interestingly, some Ukrainian sources mention them as successful, while the Russian armed forces do not mention them as such at all.
At the moment, however, there is no concrete and clear information about the presentation of Iranian ammunition of this type on the front. Their combat effectiveness during an attack is unknown.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 21 February 2022, the Russian government claimed that Ukrainian shelling had destroyed an FSB border facility on the Russia Ukraine border. Moscow also claimed that it had killed 5 Ukrainian soldiers who tried to cross into Russian territory. Ukraine denied being involved in both incidents and called them a false flag.
On the same day, the Russian government formally recognized the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR as independent states. According to Putin not only in their de-facto controlled areas, but the Ukrainian Oblasts as a whole. Putin ordered Russian troops, including tanks, to enter the regions.
On 24 February 2022, Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine by Russian Armed Forces previously concentrated along the border. The invasion followed by targeted airstrikes of military buildings in the country. The invasion followed also by targeted tanks entering via Belarus border.
Russia has so far not recognized the invasion of Ukraine as a “war”, although that is exactly what it is, claiming that it is a “special military operation”. According to the UN, in which Russia has its permanent representation, for military action to be defined as a “special military operation”, it must have a resolution issued by the UN. There is no such resolution, which automatically defines the military actions of the Russians as an invasion and war against the citizens of Ukraine.
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