War in Ukraine: Are Putin and Zelensky ready for peace talks?
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The US has warned a “full-fledged” defence partnership is emerging between Russia and Iran, suggesting that Tehran has become Moscow's "top military backer".
"Russia is seeking to collaborate with Iran in areas like weapons development and training," US national security council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday. He said Moscow was offering Tehran an "unprecedented level" of military and technical support.
Both the nations were considering setting up a drone assembly line in Russia for the ongoing war in Ukraine, Mr Kirby said, adding that Russia was training Iranian pilots on the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter.
Moscow has been accused of using Iranian "kamikaze" drones to launch a series of attacks on Ukraine in October.
"Russia's been using Iranian drones to strike energy infrastructure, depriving millions of Ukrainians of power, heat, critical services,” the spokesperson said.
“People in Ukraine today are actually dying as a result of Iran's actions."
Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin said Moscow could adopt what he described as a US concept of using preemptive military strikes amid rising tensions with Nato.
“We are just thinking about it. They weren’t shy to openly talk about it during the past years.”
Champagne-sipping Putin says ‘they started it’
Vladimir Putin has attempted to justify attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure by claiming Kyiv “started it” when the Crimea bridge was bombed.
Addressing a group of Russian servicemen as part of a lavish reception at the Kremlin, the Russian president said: “There is a lot of noise now about our strikes on the energy infrastructure [of Ukraine]. Yes, we are doing it.
“But who started it? Who struck the Crimean bridge?” he said, before taking a sip from a glass of champagne.
Emily Atkinson reports.
Russian President says attacks began in retaliation to Ukraine’s alleged attack on the Crimea Bridge in October
US warns against Iran and Russia’s ‘full-fledged’ defence partnership
The Joe Biden administration has issued alarms against the deepening defence deepening cooperation between Russia and Iran as Tehran “provides drones” to support Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia and Iran were considering standing up a drone assembly line in Russia for the war in Ukraine, US national security council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday.
He said Russia was training Iranian pilots on the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter and Iran could receive deliveries of the plane within the year.
In return, Russia was offering Iran “an unprecedented level of military and technical support that is transforming their relationship into a full-fledged defense partnership.”
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
