Russia's new 'Shahed with whiskers' drone threatens to plunge Ukraine into winter misery as attacks intensify

From the Newshound archive · first published 2 October 2026.

Russia is deploying a new variant of its Shahed drone — dubbed 'Shahed with whiskers' — designed to deepen Ukrainian suffering as winter approaches, with attacks on civilian infrastructure intensifying across the country. A Polish city has reopened a Cold War-era shelter in direct response, a stark sign of how far the conflict's threat is spreading beyond Ukraine's borders.

The human toll is raw: 88-year-old Hanna Panych refused to evacuate, enduring months of relentless shelling in the 'grey zone' to protect her goats.

Poland's shelter reopening signals that neighbouring NATO states are bracing for escalation, not winding down.