Iran lied about sending a limited number of drones to Russia: Zelensky
"Even with this confession, they are lying," the Ukrainian leader said in his daily video message on Saturday. The number of Iranian combat drones shot down by Ukrainian air defences exceeds the "few" drones cited by Iran, Zelensky said, justifying his accusation.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 08:22 | 05 November 2022
- Modified Date: 11:39 | 05 November 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Iran has lied about sending a limited number of drones to Russia.
"Even with this confession, they are lying," the Ukrainian leader said in his daily video message on Saturday.
The number of Iranian combat drones shot down by Ukrainian air defences exceeds the "few" drones cited by Iran, Zelensky said, justifying his accusation.
"And the more Tehran lies, the more the international community will understand this terrorist collaboration between the regimes in Russia and Iran."
Iran admitted drone deliveries to Russia for the first time on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the Islamic Republic had provided Russia with a limited number of drones ahead of the war in Ukraine, state news agency IRNA reported.
However, the chief diplomat denied further arms deliveries as well as the provision of missiles after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine began.
The Ukrainian military says it has already shot down hundreds of Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drones.
"Yesterday alone, 11 Shahed drones were shot down," Zelensky said. The Ukrainian military leadership suspects that Russia has ordered 2,400 such drones.