Russia's supply of ballistic missiles from Iran, confirmed last month by the U.S., is not expected to be immediately affected by escalating tensions in the Middle East, but two complicating factors could cause longer term issues. Iran launched its largest-ever aerial attack against Israel on Oct. 1, with nearly
According to Bloomberg, the EU's sanctions would target "about a dozen individuals and entities," which includes firms involved in the engineering, metals, and aviation sectors.
"Our priority is to develop domestic drones and long-range weapons, including ballistic missiles," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Oct. 1 at Ukraine's second international defense industry forum.
"In the first half of this year alone, Ukraine produced 25 times more artillery and mortar ammunition than in the entire year of 2022," Zelensky said at the second international defense industry forum in Kyiv.
"We are willing to sit down with the Europeans and the Americans to have a dialogue and negotiations. We have never approved of Russian aggression against Ukrainian territory," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed.
Open-source intelligence project MeNMyRC reported on Sept. 19 that a test launch of Russia’s RS-28 Sarmat Super-Heavy Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) resulted in failure at the launch site in Plesetsk, Russia based on analysis of satellite images.
Iran did not include mobile launchers along with its delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia, Reuters reported on Sept. 21, citing three sources with knowledge of the matter.
The Shahed-136B is reportedly an upgraded version of the Shahed-136, a type of drone used by Russia in near-daily attacks against Ukraine. The newer drone has an operational range of 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles).
According to the preliminary data, Russia launched Iskander-M ballistic missiles, damaging port and civilian infrastructure, as well as a civilian ship under the Antiguan flag.
"By the end of the month the new Samp/T system will be delivered to Ukraine, and we know how much every minute of delay costs," Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Sept. 17.
"I cannot confirm the use of the missiles for now. I can only confirm when we have evidence. As it was with North Korea," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
After months of contradictory reports, the U.S. on Sept. 10 confirmed that Iran had delivered ballistic missiles to Russia in what could prove a dramatic development for Ukraine. "We've warned Tehran publicly, we've warned Tehran privately, that taking this step would be a dangerous escalation," U.S. Secretary of
The three countries said that they have "privately and publicly been clear that we would take new and significant measures against Iran if the transfers took place."
"We are looking further into it with our member states and if confirmed, this delivery would represent a substantive material escalation in Iran's support for Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," EU spokesperson Peter Stano said.
The British news outlet The Times wrote that according to an undisclosed Ukrainian military source, a shipment of 200 Iranian ballistic missiles already arrived at an unspecified port in the Caspian Sea on Sept. 4.
Ukraine's continued requests to Western allies for more air defenses were answered in part this week, with the announcement that Germany has ordered an additional 17 IRIS-T air defense systems for Kyiv. And the timing couldn't be more critical – an ongoing campaign of aerial strikes on Kharkiv, devastating attacks like
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 7 that if Iran provides ballistic missiles to Russia, "it will have devastating consequences for Ukrainian-Iranian bilateral relations."
"Any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," National Security Council Spokesperson Sean Savett said.
Iran has sent short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 6, citing unnamed U.S. and European officials.
Iran has delivered ballistic missiles to Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 6, a move the U.S. has described as a "dramatic escalation" in Tehran's support for Moscow's full-scale war against Ukraine. The White House said it was "alarmed" by reports of the transfer, but what the
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