The UK's Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence report on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday (November 21) that Russia fired dozens of Iran-made Shahed attack drones at targets around Kyiv over the weekend in an attempt to degrade Ukraine's air defenses while the Kremlin appeared to be stockpiling its supply of cruise missiles.

Russian forces launched about 50 Shahed drones in waves from Kursk and Krasnodar in order to prepare the battle space ahead of a winter campaign against Ukraine, the Washington Times reported.

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(Photo : GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images )
A Russian JSC Rosoboronexport KH-69 air-launched cruise missile and RVV-BD and RVV-MD2 air-to-air hypersonic long-range guided missiles are pictured during the 2023 Dubai Airshow at Dubai World Central - Al-Maktoum International Airport in Dubai on November 13, 2023.

Russia Intends to Stockpile Cruise Missiles, Drones for Winter Attack

However, Whitehall's intel report added that Russia has refrained from firing any of its air-launched cruise missiles for nearly two months, saying that relying on Shahed drones in the short term would allow the Kremlin to "build up a substantial stock" of missiles.

"Russia is highly likely to use these missiles if it repeats last year's effort to destroy Ukraine's critical national infrastructure," the report added.

Last Saturday (November 18), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he expected Russia to steadily increase the number of aerial attacks by winter, urging Ukrainians to prepare for such attacks.

"It is crucial for all of us in Ukraine to be 100% effective. Despite all the difficulties. Despite all the fatigue. Despite any attempts to weaken Ukraine," he said on his Telegram account.

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