Ukraine has shot down 300 Iranian drones, air force says

Official says Kyiv has taken down hundreds of Iran-built Shahed-136 drones

Iranian drones during a military drone drill in Iran. Ukraine has shot down more than 300 Iranian-made drones, an air force official said. AP

Ukraine has shot down more than 300 Iranian-made drones so far, an official from its air force said on Friday.

Kyiv has taken down hundreds of Shahed-136 kamikaze drones made in Iran, Yuriy Ihnat said on Friday.

Ukraine has repeatedly called for international aid in establishing air defence systems as Russia steps up its attacks on the country.

In an address on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv had taken down 23 of more than 30 Shahed drones fired by Russia in the past two days.

"Enemy planes will fall. Enemy helicopters will fall. 'Shaheds' will fall. It is only the Ukrainian people who will not fall," he said, referring to the Iranian-made weapons as "metal monsters".

Speaking next to a downed Shahed drone, Mr Zelenskyy promised to "clip the wings" of Moscow's air power.

Russia is reportedly using the drones to attack civilian targets and critical infrastructure in Kyiv and across Ukraine, with the intention of cutting off the Ukrainian people from energy, heat and water.

Tehran has reportedly sent instructors to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine to assist in technical training of drone pilots.

The EU has recently stepped up sanctions against Iran over its supply of weapons to Russia.

The manufacturer of Shahed drones was among those designated last week.