How Russia modified Iran's Shahed-136 drones — and what it means for Ukraine

Russia has repeatedly shattered its own records for aerial assaults on Ukraine this summer, culminating in a peak attack on July 9 with the launch of 728 Shahed-type drones. Throughout the war, Russia steadily expanded the reach and intensity of its strikes on Ukrainian cities, drawing on drone technology primarily supplied by its ally Iran. Russia first deployed Iranian-made Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones against Ukraine in 2022. By the next year, Russia had moved to produce its own, modifi