British PM wants to degrade Russian capabilities, citing Iranian drones

By AP 19 December 2022, 5:25 pm

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A Shahed-136 drone is seen in the sky seconds before it hit buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, October 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the West should work to degrade “Russia’s capability to regroup” as it continues its war in Ukraine, citing the drones that Iran has been providing to Moscow.

Sunak speaks at a summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force in the Latvian capital Riga. The UK-led force is a group of 10 northern European nations designed to react more quickly in the event of threats like those now posed by Russia.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky also speaks by video link of the Iranian Shahed drones that Russia has been using to attack Ukraine, saying 34 were in the latest nighttime attacks.

“These are Shaheds from the new batch that Russia received from Iran; 250 units, that’s how many drones the terrorist state has now received. Russian missiles and Iranian drones are constantly used to strike,” Zelensky says.

Iran has acknowledged supplying Russia with drones, but has insisted that the transfer came before Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

Sunak also says the economic consequences for Russia ”must continue to be severe.”