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Russia-Ukraine war: Turkish drones 'strike invading troops'

Turkish-made TB2s have been used against pro-Russia separatists in the Donbas region
Ukrainian service members collect unexploded shells after fighting with a Russian raiding group in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in the morning of 26 February 2022 (AFP)
Par MEE staff

Ukraine has been using Turkish drones to strike Russia's invading forces, Ukrainian government officials said on Saturday, as fighting continued for the third day.

Ukraine's embassy in Turkey said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had struck a Russian military convoy in the southern city of Kherson using Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones.

Accompanying the post was a video purportedly showing the aftermath of the strike.

The Ukrainian defence ministry also said that TB2s had hit Russian forces near Hostomol airport, near Kyiv.

There have been no comments from Russia in response to Ukraine's statements.

Earlier this month, Ukraine and Turkey signed a series of agreements, including a deal that would expand the production capabilities of Turkish drone-maker Baykar in Ukraine.

Ukraine deepens defence ties with Turkey amid standoff with Russia
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Its drones were deployed last year in Kiev's war against Russian-backed separatists in its eastern Donbas region.

"[The] defence industry and aviation are the main driving force for our strategic partnership," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters at the time.

"Baykar will expand its production of unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine, and Ukraine will strengthen its defence capabilities with these new technologies and jobs."

Following the signing of the deal, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has a close but sometimes fraught relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reiterated Ankara's support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

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