French news crew nearly struck by Russian missile on live TV

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A French television news crew was nearly struck by a Russian missile while reporting live from Ukraine.

The crew, which is covering the war in Ukraine, were live on television when a Russian missile exploded right behind them.

The reporter and his colleagues all made it to safety. They estimate the missile landed just a few dozen yards away.

With the fighting raging much longer than anticipated by the Kremlin, and becoming bogged down in a war of attrition amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive backed by Western-supplied weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin is mulling ways of regaining momentum.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had claimed the Kremlin plans to step up the use of Iranian-made exploding drones.

For the Russian military, the exploding drones are a cheap weapon which also spreads fear among the enemy. The United States and its allies have sparred with Iran over Tehran's role in allegedly supplying Moscow with the drones.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.