"Russia is likely expending a high number of Iranian Shahed-136 UAVs in order to penetrate increasingly effective Ukrainian air defences," the UK defence ministry said in a tweet.
"It is likely using them as a substitute for Russian-manufactured long-range precision weapons which are becoming increasingly scarce," the British Ministry of Defence added.
It reported in its daily intelligence bulletin that “Ukrainian efforts to defeat the Shahed-136 UAVs are increasingly successful," with official sources, including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, "claiming that up to 85% of attacks are being intercepted."
Ukraine’s Zelensky at the weekend called on the international community to put an end to Russia’s missile strikes on his country, saying: “The world can and must stop this terror.”
Monday is day 243 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters