Latest news with #Russia
Russia Today
33 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kremlin comments on possible US strike on Iran
Washington would make a serious mistake by deciding to attack Iran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RT. Direct involvement by the US in the ongoing conflict between the Islamic Republic and Israel will only worsen the situation in the region, he warned. Tensions escalated last week after Israel launched a large-scale bombing campaign against Iran, claiming that Tehran was close to producing a nuclear bomb. Iran dismissed the accusations and retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes. The two nations have continued exchanging strikes ever since. US President Donald Trump has made direct threats against Tehran in recent days, demanding its complete surrender and abandonment of its nuclear program. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that an attack plan on Iran had already been secretly approved, but the president said the publication 'has no idea.' The White House added that Trump would make a final decision 'within the next two weeks.' 'Moscow believes it is a wrong move,' Peskov said when asked about Russia's response to the hypothetical action. 'This is a step that is bound to lead to further escalation, a major escalation, and would only complicate the situation in the region.' 'Such conflicts are capable of setting the entire region on fire,' Peskov warned. He added that Russia remains ready and willing to assist in resolving the conflict. When asked about the possibility of regime change in Iran at the hands of the US or Israel, Peskov echoed President Vladimir Putin's view that such discussions are unacceptable. 'We believe that it is unacceptable to have such conversations, and even more so to take such actions,' he said. The Russian president reportedly has a 'complete picture' of the situation and the potential to act as a mediator, according to Peskov. He noted that Putin has been in contact with both Israel and Iran, and was one of the few world leaders to speak with both countries' leaders after hostilities began. However, Peskov admitted there is currently 'little ground' for talks as both Israel and Iran remain determined to continue the fighting. Putin himself told journalists at a late-night Q&A on Wednesday that Moscow has proposed several compromise frameworks to all parties – including the US, Israel, and Iran. He also suggested that a potential settlement could include mutual security guarantees protecting both Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology and Israel's right to security.
CNA
an hour ago
- Politics
- CNA
Commentary: Iran is breaking Israel's expensive air defences with cheap drones
SINGAPORE: After Israel's strikes involving more than 200 jets last Friday (Jun 13), Iran responded by launching about 100 drones. Drones launched from Iran can take up to nine hours to reach targets in Israel and most were intercepted by Israeli air defences. Some observers described this initial Iranian response as 'underwhelming'. However, such an assessment holds only if the drone attack is viewed in isolation, without considering the missile barrage launched just hours later. Iran's initial drone campaign was likely not intended to deliver immediate harm or damage against Israel. Israel's multi-layered air defence systems are sophisticated and each system – including Iron Dome, David's Sling and the Arrow system – is designed to counter different types of aerial threats. Rather, its objective was to saturate Israel's air defences and to pave the way for more damaging follow-on missile strikes. This type of attack closely mirrors Russia's drone-and-missile playbook in Ukraine. SATURATE AIR DEFENCES, CREATE FEAR While Ukraine has shown its resourcefulness in using drones, Russia's tactics have also evolved in recent months. Prior to September 2024, the average number of weekly drone launches was around 140, but over the past six months, this figure has peaked at about 1,100 per week. On Tuesday, Russia reportedly launched 440 drones and 32 missiles, in one of the deadliest strikes on Kyiv since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022. By combining drones with more sophisticated ballistic and cruise missiles, Russia has been able to test the readiness of Ukraine's air defence network. More importantly, this forces Ukraine to spend limited defence resources to intercept them, gradually eroding Ukrainian defensive capacity. Iran appears to be adopting the same drone-and-missile strikes not only to saturate air defences, but also bring terror to the civilian population. Despite Israel's advanced air defence systems and US support, Iranian drones and missiles still managed to breach them, inflicting damage on civilian infrastructure and causing civilian casualties. Civilians emerging from shelters after Iranian retaliatory attacks were reportedly shocked, with some asking how long the Iranian attacks would continue. There's undoubtedly a psychological element to it too: Air raid sirens blare several times a day, and parts of the map are awash in red on alert apps. DRONE AND MISSILE ATTACKS WILL CONTINUE How long can Iran sustain a saturation campaign based on sheer numbers? Iran is likely to retain the capacity to continue such tactics. It has reportedly fired over 400 missiles and over 1,000 drones so far. Dan Caldwell, a former senior adviser to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, suggested on X that the number of Iranian missiles capable of hitting Israel was closer to 2,000, as well as thousands of drones. In January, Iran's army reportedly received a delivery of 1,000 domestically produced drones, with a range of over 2,000km. However, Iran will likely deploy these drone swarms more strategically (unlike Russia, which has launched continuous drone campaigns against Ukraine without a single uninterrupted three-day pause). Critical energy infrastructure would be a strategic target, as Russia has done in Ukraine. Russia consistently targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the winter of 2022-2023, in order to disrupt essential heating and water supplies to the civilian population. Following the initial drone and missile strikes, Iran further retaliated by targeting the oil refinery in Haifa Bay. The strike caused severe damage to the facility's central power plant and resulted in a suspension of operations. Israel, anticipating the possibility of another attack on its oil refineries, has already pre-emptively suspended operations at Chevron's offshore Leviathan natural gas field. With Israel having targeted four energy-related assets in the current conflict (the Shahran fuel terminal, the Tehran Oil Refinery in southern Tehran's Shahr Rey district, the Phase 14 processing facility of the South Pars gas field, and the Fajr-e-Jam natural gas processing plant), Iran could deploy a drone-and-missile strike against another energy infrastructure in the coming days. SHIFTING CALCULUS ON THE COST OF WAR Next, there is the question of how long Israel can withstand the sustained drone-and-missile strikes. At present, apart from Israeli air defence systems, American naval destroyers and ground-based missile batteries are helping Israel to defend itself against the Iranian retaliation. But interceptor missiles often cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, while drones cost only between US$20,000 to US$50,000. Iran could shift the war cost calculus by forcing Israel and its backers to expend expensive munitions on cheap, mass-produced drone threats. If the Israel-Iran war drags on, it will be worth watching whether key voices within US President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement can prevail. Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson suggested that the US should 'drop Israel. Let them fight their own wars.' Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on X that 'Anyone slobbering for the US to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA.' While US is unlikely to withdraw its assistance to Israel, it could add pressure on the Trump administration to urge Israel to swiftly end its offensive (assuming that US is not joining the war). LESSONS FOR COUNTRIES As countries watch how the events in Israel and Iran unfold, the lessons are clear for defence policymakers. A new trend has emerged from both the Russian-Ukraine and Israel-Iran wars: Saturating the skies with low-cost, expendable drones can overwhelm even the most advanced defence systems. Such a strategy can not only strain defensive capabilities, but also serve to terrorise civilian populations (notwithstanding that acts or threats of violence with the intent to spread terror among the civilian population is prohibited under the laws of war). So, air defence has become a battle of resource management. Warring parties employing drone-and-missile tactics are shifting the cost calculus in their favour, forcing the enemy to expend limited, expensive munitions on cheap aerial threats. There may be difficult choices about which aerial threats to intercept and which to let through. Defenders may be forced to accept that it is both impossible and impractical to counter every incoming aerial threat. A risk-based approach may become necessary – prioritising the protection of critical infrastructure, such as power plants and energy grids, while deliberately leaving lower-priority infrastructure less protected. For civilians living in areas deemed less critical, this could mean enduring the constant fear and uncertainty that their homes and residential areas may receive limited protection in an era of aerial warfare defined by sheer volume and the willingness to deploy cheap systems to break expensive air defences. So, defence policymakers need to rethink air defences in order to counter the risks of drones saturating the skies.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
If Trump has all the cards, why is the US in such a strategic quagmire?
Just four months ago, US President Donald Trump was lecturing a surprised Volodymyr Zelensky on how the Ukrainian leader was 'not winning' because he did not 'have the cards' . As commander-in-chief of a superpower, Trump unabashedly brandished his geopolitical capital – apparently more interested in negotiating agreements with traditional US rivals such as Russia and Iran to bolster his 'art of the deal' credentials. Today, the strategic picture looks dramatically different. Following the spectacular success of Operation Spider's Web , which saw Ukrainian forces launching devastating drone attacks from within the heart of Russia, Kyiv seized the strategic initiative against the Kremlin. Trump, meanwhile, has struggled to translate his geopolitical capital into concrete gains. Despite his promise to swiftly finalise new deals with Russia and Iran, and repeatedly promising a new era of peace to his 'Make America Great Again' (Maga) base, the situation has escalated in traditional theatres of conflict. Having cards is one thing. Playing them skilfully is another. Not unlike his trade policy track record , Trump has gradually found himself in new strategic quagmires, which could ultimately strengthen its chief rivals, namely Russia and China. It's impossible to understand the direction of American politics over the past decade, and the meteoric rise of Trump, without taking into account the overwhelming public dissatisfaction with the ruling elite.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Russia's economy minister says the country is on ‘the brink of recession'
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Russia's economy is 'on the brink of going into a recession,' the country's economy minister said Thursday, according to Russian media reports. Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov delivered the warning at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the annual event in Russia's second largest city designed to highlight the country's economic prowess and court foreign investors. Russian business news outlet RBC quoted the official as saying 'the numbers indicate cooling, but all our numbers are (like) a rearview mirror. Judging by the way businesses currently feel and the indicators, we are already, it seems to me, on the brink of going into a recession.' The economy, hit with a slew of sanctions after the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, has so far outperformed predictions. High defense spending has propelled growth and kept unemployment low despite fueling inflation. At the same time, wages have gone up to keep pace with inflation, leaving many workers better off. Large recruiting bonuses for military enlistees and death benefits for those killed in Ukraine also have put more income into the country's poorer regions. But over the long term, inflation and a lack of foreign investments remain threats to the economy, leaving a question mark over how long the militarized economy can keep going. Economists have warned of mounting pressure on the economy and the likelihood it would stagnate due to lack of investment in sectors other than the military. Speaking at a forum session, Reshetnikov said Russia was 'on the brink,' and whether the country would slide into a recession or not depends on the government's actions. 'Going forward, it all depends on our decisions,' Reshetnikov said, according to RBC. RBC reported Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Central Bank Gov. Elvira Nabiullina gave more optimistic assessments. Siluanov spoke about the economy 'cooling' but noted that after any cooling 'the summer always comes,' RBC reported.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia launches massive missile, drone strikes on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv
Russia has carried out a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine's capital of Kyiv. Officials say at least 10 people have been killed and more than 100 injured. CBS News' Tina Kraus has more.
