USA: Russia and Iran are expanding their security partnership
The Russian army launched tonight (between Monday and Tuesday) one of the largest and most massive attacks on the cities of Ukraine during the last months. The air defense system of Ukraine reported that they were able to successfully intercept 18 Russian missiles and several more drones. Among other things, the Ukrainian army announced that they shot down six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, nine Kalibr missiles and three more ballistic missiles.
Officials in Ukraine clarified that the air defense forces faced an attack that was unusual in scope, with a very extensive range of missile launches in an extremely short period of time. According to some reports, the targets of at least some of the missiles launched were the Ukrainian air defense batteries, including the Patriot batteries.
What is special about the Ukrainian announcement about the downing of the missiles, including six hypersonic missiles, is the fact that only about a week and a half ago they managed to shoot down such a missile for the first time, and it is possible that this is the first hypersonic missile interception ever in a combat operational activity. Russia introduced the Kinzhal missile in 2018, and Putin stated at the time that there is no air defense system capable of intercepting them.
“Unprecedented” defense partnership
The United States warned yesterday that Russia and Iran are expanding their security cooperation – which is reaching an “unprecedented” level. John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House, revealed that the two countries, subject to very severe sanctions from the West, are working to increase and expand The extent of the transfer of advanced weapons between them.
Kirby revealed that since August, Iran has provided Russia with more than 400 attack drones for the war in Ukraine, although both countries deny this. Most of the drones that Tehran transferred to Moscow are Shah-131 and Shah-136 models, but it is evident that recently the Russians Demanding that the Iranians get “more advanced and deadlier” versions of this weapon. At the same time, he clarified that the US did not detect any indications of the transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia.
The security cooperation between Russia and Iran is not one-way, and Tehran demands to receive from Moscow a long list of weapons for their security system. Kirby said that the Iranians demanded to receive combat helicopters, radar systems and training planes. As you may remember, Iran is expected to receive from Russia in the near future dozens of advanced combat planes SU-35, according to many reports. “All in all,” Kirby said, “Iran is interested in receiving billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Russia.”
The French president mocked Russia – Moscow is furious
French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday in a televised interview that Russia has become “dependent and complacent” on China, against the background of its heavy sanctions and political isolation following the war in Ukraine. He claimed that Moscow had become a “vassal” of Beijing, against the background of the fact that it had lost access to Europe and the Baltic states. “Two years ago this was unthinkable.”
In Moscow, they were angry at the words of the French president and said that these are strategic relations that are not related to Russia’s dependence on China. “The West is afraid of the establishment of a multilateral system of international relations, which includes many independent countries,” said Alexander Grushko, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister. “Macron and other Western leaders will have to accept the reality of strong and stable, respectful relations between Moscow and Beijing.”
Ukraine attacks beyond enemy lines – using advanced weapons
The Ukrainian military has carried out several massive and long-range attacks in the largely occupied Lugansk region in recent days. In one of the attacks, on Saturday, the Ukrainian army hit a factory that housed large Russian military forces, at a distance of more than 80 km from the front. Since then, at least a few more targets have been bombed in the area – at greater ranges than what they used to attack in Ukraine until now.
These attacks, with a high probability, are carried out using long-range missiles that Kiev received from Britain only last week, of a type Shadow Storm. These missiles are effective at a range of about 250 km, and helps the Ukrainians to increase their range of vulnerability against the Russian forces in the occupied territories. Yesterday, Britain announced the transfer of hundreds of attack drones to a range of about 200 km, and according to various reports, France is also preparing To transfer long-range missiles to Ukraine – a relatively new move, which until now Western countries have refrained from doing.
In another incident, Igor Kornet, the Minister of the Interior in the Russian occupation authorities in the Lugansk district, was seriously injured yesterday while he was getting a haircut at a barbershop in the city of Lugansk. According to some reports, a grenade or an explosive device exploded at the scene, which caused heavy damage, while another person was injured and several others were injured. Russia has de facto controlled the city of Lugansk and large parts of the province since 2014, but now Ukraine is determined to free them.
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