Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that the widespread use of Iranian-made drones in recent attacks on Ukraine is a symbol of the “military and political failure of the Kremlin”.
“The fact that Russia turned to Iran for such aid is the Kremlin’s recognition of its military and political bankruptcy.”said Zelensky in his daily speech.
“Strategically, that’s not going to help them anyway. It just proves to the world that Russia is on track to defeat and is trying to entice someone else to be complicit in terror.”added the governor.
In recent days, Kiev and its allies have repeatedly denounced the use of Iranian-made drones by Russian forces to attack civilian energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
Iran said Tuesday it was willing to talk to Kiev to clarify “baseless” allegations about Tehran’s supply to Russia of weapons and drones used in Russia’s offensive against Ukraine.
Also on Tuesday, the Kremlin (Russian Presidency) said it was not aware of the use of these weapons by the Russian army.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani considers such claims “baseless” and “based on false information,” assured in a statement that “Iran is ready to negotiate and discuss with Ukraine to resolve these allegations.” unload”.
“The claims that the Islamic Republic is sending weapons, including combat drones, to be used in the war in Ukraine” are “false,” the ministry said.
After several attacks by so-called ‘kamikaze’ drones on Kiev, Ukraine on Monday asked the European Union (EU) to impose new sanctions on Tehran.
This Tuesday, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Dmytro Kuleba, proposed to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, to sever diplomatic relations with Iran. Zelensky did not commit to a decision, but assured that he would carry out an “appropriate international response”.
According to Kuleba, Tehran has supplied Iranian drones to Russia “to tell us that it is against the war and that it does not support either side”.
In recent days, Kiev has repeatedly denounced Russia’s use of Iranian-made “drones,” in particular the Shahed 136 “kamisake,” to attack civilian energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
To justify his proposal to Zelensky, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy also emphasized “the emergence of reports about the possible supply of weapons from Iran to Russia”, and after the publication of articles in various “media” indicating the delivery of weapons Iranian surface-to-surface missiles to Moscow forces.
The Iranian ministry said the arms transfer allegations were part of a “deliberate establishment, with political objectives and by the ‘media’ of certain countries, of a climate” hostile to Tehran.
“Since the beginning of the conflict, the Islamic Republic has always emphasized the need to end and resolve disputes by peaceful means,” the spokesman added.
By September, Ukraine had already reduced Iran’s diplomatic presence in the country, in retaliation for alleged arms shipments from Tehran to Moscow.
About half a hundred Ukrainians and Iranians gathered in front of the Iranian embassy, in Lisbon, this Tuesday evening to protest Iran’s supply of arms to the Russian regime.
“Slava Ukraine”, “Iran drones kill Ukraine” [drones iranianos matam na Ucrânia]”Putin terrorist” and “woman, life, freedom” are some of the slogans that can be read on the various posters of Ukrainian and Iranian citizens in this joint protest initiative.
“Ukrainians are not against the people of Iran, but against the fascist regime like that of Vladimir Putin,” said Pavlo Sadoka, president of the Association of Ukrainians in Portugal, promoter of the initiative.
Yasea, a 35-year-old Iranian who has lived in Portugal for eight years, told the Lusa agency that “with this protest they want the Iranian ambassador to Portugal to be deported because they do not feel safe”.
According to the association promoting the protest, “Iran is a totalitarian state that helps the Putin regime deliver ballistic missiles to Moscow fascists and kamikaze drones and a country where women are killed just for the way they dress” .
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year, unleashing a war that plunged Europe into what is considered the worst security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by the generality of the international community, which has responded by sending arms to Ukraine and Russia of political and economic sanctions.
The UN presented 6,306 dead civilians and 9,602 wounded as confirmed since the start of the war, stressing that these numbers are far below the actual number.
Source: DN
