A sinister new sound is emerging from the war in Ukraine, though it is not an explosion nor a jet flying overhead but the ominous whirr of a drone. People in Afghanistan and Nagorno-Karabakh have reported hearing this sinister new sound that causes them to flee for cover. On Monday, Oct. 17, that buzz made its way to the skies above Kyiv.
The Shahed-136 Drone Made by Iran
Russia has increased its use of Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones or so-called "suicide drones" in Ukraine, which are deployed in groups and utterly destroy themselves by diving at their targets, Wired reported.
Dozens of drones attacked Ukrainian cities, killing at least four people when they struck an apartment building in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital. According to Ukrainian officials, drone and missile attacks have also destroyed 30% of the country's energy infrastructure in the last 10 days. Large portions of the country are now powerless.
Analysts think the Shahed-136s are pre-programmed with the position of their target before takeoff, rendering electronic warfare equipment like GPS jammers ineffective.
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Efforts of Ukraine to Counter Russia's Attack
Ukrainian efforts to intercept these drones have met with some success, but the government is still trying to figure out how to counter Russia's new tactic.
Destroying these drones is a difficult task. It is not easy to spot the Iran-made Shahed-136 drone due to its size. Ukrainian Air Force Spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Reuters that killing 100% of the drones is challenging.
Ukraine has begun using crowdsourcing to find techniques to identify drones at an early stage as a countermeasure.
The military has released an Android app called ePPO, which invites citizens to report sightings of cruise missiles or drones and disclose the direction in which they are heading. After the drones have been located, the Ukrainian military must devise an effective strategy for taking them down.
Experts' Suggestions
Marcel Plichtav, a former US Department of Defense analyst and Ph.D. candidate at St. Andrews University in Scotland, believes long-range missiles would be ideal for shooting down drones. However, these are far more costly than the drone itself, which is unsustainable.
If Ukraine concentrates all its defenses on Shahed-136s, the drones might be a decoy for further strikes. Plichtav said that missiles are more likely to reach their targets when air defense systems are distracted.
Wim Zwijnenburg, project head in humanitarian disarmament at PAX, a Dutch group that aims to prevent armed conflicts, believes drones should be stopped or sabotaged before takeoff. The European Union (EU) froze the assets of three Iranian generals and Shahed Aviation Industries on Thursday.
It Is a New Dark Phase in Ukraine War
For months, armed drones have been used in the conflict in Ukraine. Both sides have generally limited their use to the front lines, though Russia utilized Iranian drones to strike Odessa's port and city center.
This week's Russian attacks mark a new phase of drone warfare in Ukraine. Analysts argue Russia gains no strategic advantage by using drones to strike individuals and civilian infrastructure. German chancellor Olaf Scholz called the Russian strategy a "scorched earth" approach, aiming to destroy everything in its path.
Kira Rudik, a member of Ukraine's parliament, claimed Russia wants Ukrainians to have a "hard, dark, and cold winter."
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Written by Trisha Kae Andrada
