While the world already knows about the transfer of drones from Iran to Russia – this is expected to be the first time that ballistic missiles will also be transferred to it. About three weeks ago, the Washington Post reported that Iran is preparing to transfer to Russia surface-to-surface missiles of the Fatah-110 and Zulfinkar models, which are effective at ranges of 300 and -700 km. The reports of the transfer of the missiles to Russia come against the background of estimates that the Russian army is facing major shortages of advanced missiles and precision munitions, and is forced to carefully select its targets.
Yesterday, the Russian army launched about 70-80 missiles at a series of cities in Ukraine, hitting targets and critical energy and infrastructure facilities for the Ukrainian rear. According to the Ukrainian military, at least 44 missiles were successfully intercepted. In recent weeks, the Ukrainians report that they are managing to improve and upgrade the rate of interception of the missiles and drones that Russia launches towards the various cities, and according to the reports, at least 300 Iranian drones have already been successfully intercepted.
Since last week, several senior officials in the Biden administration have spoken out and said that they have enough evidence that Iran is transferring weapons to the Russian army in the war in Ukraine. Last week, John Kirby, the spokesman for the American National Security Council, said that Washington knows about the transfer of the Iranian drones. Yesterday Rob Mali, the envoy of the Biden administration for the nuclear talks with Iran, said that the US knows that “Iran is transferring deadly drones to Russia and trains her to activate them.”
In Ukraine it is reported today that the Ukrainian army managed to damage and destroy a hotel called Akhtamar in the city of Volnobakha in the Donetsk region. According to them, the hotel, which is in the middle of the road between the cities of Donetsk and Mariupol in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region, was used as a hostel for the Chechen forces led by leader Ramzan Kadyrov. From photos of the place published by a number of Ukrainian sources, it seems that the place suffered heavy damage, but at the moment there is no information about casualties.
This blow to the Chechen forces under the command of Kadyrov joins another severe blow to them last week. In an unusual message published by Kadyrov on his Telegram account, he revealed that 28 of his fighters were killed and dozens more were injured in a Ukrainian bombing in Kherson province.