Iranian operatives 'deployed by Russia to assist invasion': Ukrainian report

Iranian operatives were sent to Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine to launch kamikaze drones as part of Moscow’s military invasion, said the Ukrainian National Resistance Centre on Wednesday.  

Iranian instructors were deployed in several occupied regions, including Kherson and Crimea, to oversee the use of Shahed-136 drones on Ukrainian targets, said the Ukrainian armed forces-run website. 

The instructors reportedly "teach" Russians how to use them and "monitor" launches. 

"It should be noted that Iran officially denies the supply of drones to the Russian Federation, which it actively uses in the war, attacking Ukraine," the Ukrainian National Resistance Centre said. 

"But, as we can see, Iran helps the aggressor not only with equipment but also with people," they said. 

Kamikaze drones, also known as suicide drones, are a type of aerial weapon system. They are able to hoover in the air for hours and pin-point a specific target. 

Kyiv has accused Moscow of using Iranian-made kamikaze drones in strikes against Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia. Russian attacks often hit civilian targets, such as hospitals and schools. 

Ukraine have also used kamikaze drones as part of their resistance. The country has asked allies repeatedly to supply it with more money to purchase such weapons. 

Drones transformed the nature of warfare in Ukraine, helping to turn the tide of the original Russian onslaught in favour of Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin - after witnessing the destruction of a key bridge linking Russia to Crimea over the weekend - launched a series of airstrikes on the eastern European country in a bid to claw back Russian military dominance. 

Iran, a close ally of Moscow, has refused to condemn Russia for invading Ukraine. Instead, it blamed NATO’s expansion for "causing provocations".