A damaged residential building amid a Ukrainian drone attack, Saratov, Russia August 26, 2024

Monday’s Coverage: Russia’s 800+ Guided Bombs, 60+ Missiles, and 300 Drones…In 1 Week

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1638 GMT:

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has commented on reports of Iran’s supply of missiles to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine (see 0544 GMT).

We’ve warned Iran privately that taking this step would constitute a dramatic escalation. Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians.

Iran’s new President and Foreign Minister have repeatedly said that they want to restore engagement with Europe. They want to receive sanctions relief. Destabilizing actions like these will achieve exactly the opposite.

The White House said sanctions over the deliveries will be announced later on Tuesday.

The UK said it added seven new designations under the Iran sanctions regime and three under the Russia sanctions regime.

In a joint statement, the UK, France, and Germany said:

We strongly condemn Iran’s export and Russia’s procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles. This is a further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and will see Iranian missiles reaching European soil, increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people. This act is an escalation by both Iran and Russia, and is a direct threat to European security.

The countries said that in addition to sanctions, including on Iran Air, they will cancel bilateral air services agreements with Tehran.

Ukraine Presidential Chief of Staff Andrii Yermak reacted:

In a letter to Secretary General António Guterres, Iran’s mission to the UN formally denied the missile deliveries: “Iran considers the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict – which leads to increased human casualties, destruction of infrastructure and a distancing from ceasefire negotiations – to be inhumane.”

UPDATE 0804 GMT:

Ukraine air defenses downed 38 of 46 Iran-type attack drones fired by Russia overnight.

Two people were injured in the Cherkasy region, and a 61-year-old woman was wounded in the Kherson region.

The Russians also launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and a Kh-31P anti-radar missile.

UPDATE 0608 GMT:

Latvia says an Iran-type Shahed attack drone, fired by Russia, crashed on its territory.

Armed Forces commander Gen. Leonids Kalnins said:

The explosive warhead stuck half a meter deep into the ground and was neutralised on the spot, avoiding detonation. [This] allowed our military intelligence officers to gather all the debris and remnants from the drone for further investigation, details of which will be shared with all of our Nato partners.

Air Force commander Col. Viesturs Masulis, explained, “The drone was seen by our air defences while still deep into Belarusian airspace, which gave us time to react.”

The Latvian Government summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires for an explanation.

Romania’s Defense Ministry confirmed on Monday that Russian drone fragments were found near the village of Periprava, situated directly across the Danube River from the Ukrainian border.

Officials are investigating another possible drone impact site near the village of Caraorman, about 38 km (24 miles) to the south, following Russia’s overnight drone attack on Sunday violating Romanian airspace.

UPDATE 0601 GMT:

Sweden is sending another 4.6 billion Swedish crowns ($443 million) in military aid to Ukraine.

Stockholm’s 17th package during the Russian invasion will include ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles and purchases to facilitate a transfer of Gripen fighter jets in the future.

“We want to have the ability to donate Gripens to Ukraine at a possible later stage,” said Foreign Minister Pal Jonson.

UPDATE 0544 GMT:

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has summoned a senior Iranian diplomat to warn of “devastating and irreparable consequences” for relations if the Islamic Republic supplies Russia with ballistic missiles.

The European Union said its allies had shared “credible” intelligence that Iran had supplied the missiles.

“We are looking further into it with our member states, and if confirmed, this delivery would represent a substantive material escalation in Iran’s support for Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine,” said spokeperson Peter Stano.

Last week a US official confirmed the delivery despite Western warnings, and a “senior European official” said more shipments are expected. A Ukrainian military intelligence official explained that a Russian ship delivered more than 200 Fateh-360 short-range missiles to an undisclosed port in the Caspian Sea on Wednesday.

See also Ukraine War, Day 928: Iran “Has Delivered Ballistic Missiles to Russia”

Ukraine Presidential Chief of Staff Andrii Yermak said, “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.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a denial, but a leading Iranian MP said:

We have to barter for our needs, including importing soybeans and wheat. Part of the barter involves sending missiles, and another part involves sending military drones to Russia.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine launched a drone attack on at least 10 Russian regions overnight, including Bryansk, Moscow, Tula, Kaluga, Belgorod, Kursk, Oryol, Voronezh, Krasnodar Krai, and Lipetsk, several hundred kilometers south of Moscow.

A fuel complex in the Tula region, south of Moscow, was hit. Flights in the capital’s Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports were suspended.

Moscow Governor Andrey Vorobyov claimed a 46-year-old woman was killed and three other civilians were injured in the town of Ramenskoye, 46 km (29 miles) southeast of the capital.

Ukraine has yet to comment on the attacks. Russian officials issued their ritual declaration that 144 drones were downed by air defenses. Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz asserted that 59 UAVs had been intercepted, and Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said more than a dozen had been shot down in the area.