NEWSLOOKS-/ KYIV/ Ukraine/ Iranian missile shipments to Russia/ Russia Iran missile partnership/ Iranian weapons in Russian war/ Ukrainian strikes on Russian missile warehouses/ A top Ukrainian official called for the right to strike Iranian-supplied missiles stored in Russia, using Western weapons. This comes after reports that Iran has provided short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for its war against Ukraine. Despite Western concerns of escalation, Ukraine insists these strikes are necessary for defense.
Iranian Missiles in Russia: Quick Looks
- Ukraine urges permission to strike missile warehouses in Russia with Western weapons.
- Reports indicate Iran has supplied Russia with short-range ballistic missiles.
- Western allies fear escalation but Ukraine stresses defense is not provocation.
- Over 10,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed by Russian missile and drone strikes.
- Kremlin dismisses Iranian missile reports but acknowledges its partnership with Iran.
- Iran denies supplying missiles to Russia, rejecting the allegations as politically motivated.
- CIA Director warns of growing defense ties between Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea.
Ukrainian Official: Iranian Missiles in Russia Legitimate Targets
Deep Look:
Ukraine has intensified its calls for military support from Western allies, urging them to allow strikes on Russian soil, particularly against Iranian-supplied ballistic missiles. On Monday, a senior Ukrainian official emphasized the importance of targeting missile warehouses inside Russia to prevent further bloodshed, accusing Iran of sending these weapons to bolster Russia’s war efforts.
According to U.S. intelligence, shared with allies over the weekend, Iran has reportedly provided Russia with short-range ballistic missiles for use in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. While Kyiv has already faced countless missile and drone strikes since the war began in February 2022, the possibility of Iran expanding its military aid to Russia has triggered renewed concern among Western nations.
Ukraine’s presidential office head, Andrii Yermak, addressed the issue on Telegram, stating that the West must allow Ukraine to destroy missile storage sites within Russia. He argued that such strikes should be considered defensive, not escalatory. “In response to the supply of ballistic missiles to Russia, Ukraine must be allowed to destroy warehouses storing these missiles with Western weapons in order to avoid terror,” Yermak wrote.
Western countries, while providing Ukraine with substantial military aid, have been cautious about allowing the country to strike targets on Russian soil, fearing that doing so could provoke a broader conflict that might draw NATO members directly into the war. This reluctance has persisted despite the immense toll Russia’s missile and drone attacks have taken on Ukraine, with the United Nations estimating that over 10,000 civilians have been killed since the start of the conflict.
Ukraine has shown no signs of backing down. In addition to defending against Russia’s advances in the Donetsk region, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, a bold move that illustrates Kyiv’s commitment to fighting back, even as the conflict escalates. Iranian-made Shahed drones have been a significant part of Russia’s arsenal since 2022, and now, with reports of ballistic missile shipments, Western governments are on high alert as President Vladimir Putin seeks support from allies like Iran.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attempted to downplay the reports about Iranian missiles, stating that “this kind of information is not true every time,” but he confirmed the deepening relationship between Russia and Iran. “Iran is our important partner. We are developing our trade and economic relations. We are developing our cooperation and dialogue in all possible areas, including the most sensitive ones, and will continue to do so in the interests of the peoples of our two countries,” Peskov said.
Meanwhile, Iran has denied sending any missiles to Russia, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani rejecting the accusations as politically motivated. “We strongly reject allegations about Iran’s role in sending weapons to one side of the war and we assess these allegations as politically motivated by some parties,” Kanaani said.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, however, voiced deep concern about the possibility of Iranian missile shipments. In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry demanded that Iran cease providing weapons to Russia immediately, stating, “Iran must completely and definitively stop providing weapons to Russia in order to prove with actions, not words, the sincerity of its political leadership’s statements about non-involvement in fueling the Russian war machine of death.”
The growing defense collaboration between Russia and Iran has also drawn the attention of Western intelligence agencies. Over the weekend, CIA Director William Burns warned that the increasingly close military ties among Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea pose a significant threat not only to Ukraine but also to Western interests in the Middle East. Burns described the relationship between these countries as both “growing” and “troubling.”
In a further sign of increasing cooperation, China’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday that it would conduct joint naval and air drills with Russia later this month. Though China has not supplied Russia with arms directly, it has provided significant economic support, purchasing Russian oil and gas while also supplying dual-use items such as electronics.
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