Ukraine intercepts over 20 Iranian-made drones over Kyiv, Odessa

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Ukraine’s armed forces on Wednesday claimed to have downed at least 23 Iranian-made drones launched by Russia towards the capital of Kyiv and the Black Sea port of Odessa, sparking a fire at a grain storage facility. 

"On the night of August 2, 2023, Russian occupation forces attacked Ukraine with Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 combat drones,” Ukraine’s state media cited the country’s air force as saying. 

The drones were reportedly launched from Russian-occupied Crimea. 

"Unfortunately, part of the drones launched by the enemy hit the port infrastructure in Odessa region,” the armed forces added. 

Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive to push back Russian forces from areas occupied by them is underway. Russia says the counteroffensive has not resulted in any success, but Ukraine has maintained strict silence to prevent any information from being leaked. 

In response, Russia has been targeting Odessa and the region's grain storage facilities after refusing to extend a crucial Black Sea grain deal that permitted Ukrainian exports. 

“As a result of the attack, fires broke out at the facilities of the port and industrial infrastructure of the region, and an elevator was damaged,” Odessa region governor, Oleh Kiper, wrote on Telegram.

“The goal of the enemy was clearly the facilities of the ports and industrial infrastructure of the region,” Ukraine’s South operational command said of the Odessa attack. 

Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 drones have been repeatedly used by Russia in its attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, leading to a barrage of international sanctions and condemnations on Iran. Tehran said the drones it sent to Russia preceded the war in Ukraine, which broke out last February.