Twelve Russian Shahed kamikaze drones and one Kh-59 guided missile were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses overnight, the Air Force reported on Telegram on Feb. 18.
Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has updated the Unified Database of Foreign Components in Weapons with chips from black Shahed UAVs. A range of components originated from the United States, China and Switzerland.
Russia has dedicated substantial resources to develop improved versions of its combat UAVs, specifically of Shahed and Lancet kamikaze drones, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said at a press briefing on Feb. 14.
Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed 16 out of 23 Shahed loitering munitions that the Russian army launched on the night of 12-13 February. Source: Ukraine's Air Force Quote: "The enemy launched 23 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs from the areas of [the city of] Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Russia, and Cape Chauda in [Russian-occupied] Crimea on the night of 12-13 February 2024.
After Russia's night attack on Ukraine, the wreckage of a Shahed UAV was found in Moldova near the border with Ukraine. Source: European Pravda, with reference to Newsmaker Shahed wreckage in Moldova.