Russia Attacked Kyiv with Iranian-Made 'Attack Drones'

On Thursday, Russia targeted Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, with drone attacks that damaged civilian infrastructure. Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, stated that over 12 Iranian-made attack drones appeared over the city, most of which were shot down. He added that during this hours-long attack, around 20 vehicles and a gas pipeline in a residential area were damaged. Over the past two and a half years of its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has attacked various regions of the country with different drones and missiles. The United States claims that the Iranian government, which previously supplied drones to Russia, has recently provided ballistic missiles to Russia for attacks on Ukraine. The Islamic Republic, which had denied sending Shahed-136 drones to Russia, has also denied sending missiles to Russia this time. The Islamic Republic has provided these weapons to Russia while Moscow has not delivered advanced Sukhoi aircraft, which Iranian media have repeatedly reported as finalized agreements, despite taking positions against Iran regarding the Zangezur corridor or the three islands in the Persian Gulf. Iranian officials stated in 2022 that the agreement to purchase Sukhoi-35 fighter jets from Russia was finalized. The shipment of missiles to Russia, reportedly via the Caspian Sea, led to sanctions against Iran Air by the U.S. and some of its allies. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously stated that the delivery of missiles to Russia during Masoud Pezeshkian's presidency contradicts his claims for improving Iran's economy. "Planning for potentially catastrophic attacks on Ukraine's nuclear power plants" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Wednesday during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly of planning potentially catastrophic attacks on Ukraine's nuclear power plants. According to AFP, these remarks were made ahead of the U.S. elections, which could change the position of the largest supporter of Ukraine. In this speech, which took place before his important meeting with Joe Biden at the White House, Zelensky urged the world to increase its support for Ukraine. The Biden administration has promised new military aid to Ukraine. Standing behind the podium at the United Nations in simple black clothing, he stated, "Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, seems to be planning to attack our nuclear power plants and infrastructure to cut these plants off from the power grid." Zelensky warned, "Any critical incident in the energy system could lead to a nuclear disaster. A day like this should never come." He addressed the UN General Assembly, saying, "Moscow must understand this, and it depends on your determination to pressure this aggressor." Mr. Zelensky once again called for the acceptance of his proposal to restore the internationally recognized borders between the two countries before Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine's territory. Mr. Zelensky emphasized the importance of adhering to the UN Charter in guaranteeing Ukraine's right to territorial integrity and sovereignty, stating, "Ukrainians will never accept that such a brutal colonial past, which is unsuitable for anyone today, is imposed on Ukraine instead of a normal and peaceful life." The Ukrainian President remarked that when China and Brazil attempt to unify, and someone in Europe or Africa offers an alternative for complete and just peace, their true motives become questionable. Following Zelensky's remarks, Putin issued a clearer threat than before regarding the use of nuclear weapons, stating that Russia would likely use such weapons in response to a large-scale air attack on its territory. Ukraine has asked the U.S. and its allies to reduce restrictions on weapons that can target deeper into Russian territory. After invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russia seized the large Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. In recent weeks, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine's power grid, an action that Ukrainian and Western officials describe as an attempt to create severe cold in the country during winter. Republicans were angered after Zelensky told The New Yorker magazine that Trump and his associate JD Vance do not understand the complexities of the war. The United States has provided approximately $175 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine so far. The Biden administration has rejected sending American troops to Ukraine. On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced a new $375 million aid package to Ukraine, which includes munitions for HIMARS rocket launchers, cluster munitions, and light tactical vehicles. Trump had previously praised Vladimir Putin and was impeached during his presidency from 2017 to 2021 for delaying aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelensky to find information against Biden. The arrival of the Ukrainian President in America; Zelensky is seeking a "truly just peace" with Russia. The foreign ministers of Israel and Ukraine discussed the missile cooperation between the Iranian government and Russia. Zelensky expressed readiness to negotiate with the U.S. on the sidelines of the UN summit. Ukraine banned officials from using "Telegram" due to concerns about Russian espionage. The meeting of the Ukrainian President with Joe Biden; Zelensky arrives in Washington with a "victory plan." Ukraine shot down more than 40 Russian drones in various regions. Zelensky: "Ukraine's victory plan over Russia is complete." Ukraine shot down "10 Russian drones and one missile."