Russia is using a "significantly higher number" of Iranian-made drones to knockout Ukrainian infrastructure than it did in previous weeks, according to an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War.
On Saturday, Ukraine's Air Force Command said that Russian forces launched 15 attacks with the Iranian Shahed-136 and 131 drones, which targeted infrastructure in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa.
About 10 drones were shot down. Facilities in Odesa were damaged.
"The increased pace of Russian drone attacks may indicate that Russian forces accumulated more drones over the three-week period of not using them or that Russia has recently received or expects soon to receive a new shipment of drones from Iran," the ISW said in its analysis.
Since October, Russia has deployed drones in an attack against Ukrainian infrastructure and energy grids. The drones knocked out power, damaged buildings and facilities, and terrorized Ukrainian people.
Russia reportedly depleted its supply of drones last month, and drone strikes stopped being reported around Nov. 17.
Last week, the White House warned about a Russia and Iran partnership for joint weapons production and deepening military ties between Russia and Iran.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the Kremlin has offered "an unprecedented level of military and technical support" to Tehran in return for the drones and other defense.
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