Vladimir Putin To Get 100s Of Combat Drones From Iran To Fight Ukraine, US Says

Ahead of Vladimir Putin's visit to Tehran next week, the U.S. has warned that Iran may be prepping to supply arms to Russia.

What Happened: Iran is gearing up to supply hundreds of weapons-capable drones to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said, according to Guardian.

"The Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles], including weapons-capable UAVs, on an expedited timeline," the diplomat reportedly said.

Iran is likely to train Russian forces to use these UAVs, with initial training sessions slated to begin as soon as early July, Sullvian said, citing intelligence information.

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Sullivan wasn't clear regarding whether Iran had previously delivered these drones to Russia. The Houthi rebels in Yemen had previously used the drones to attack Saudi Arabia, he reportedly said.

"From our perspective, we will continue to do our part to help sustain the effective defense of Ukraine and to help the Ukrainians show that the Russian effort to try to wipe Ukraine off the map cannot succeed," he added.

Why Does It Matter: Sullivan's comments came a day ahead of President Joe Biden's trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia, where Iran's nuclear activities will be a key subject of key discussion.

Meanwhile, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that the death toll from a Russian rocket attack that hit an apartment block in Chasiv Yar on the weekend has risen to 34.

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