News
Iranian IRGC training Russians to operate suicide drones
[ssba]
- It was the Daily Mirror that first reported that around 50 IRGC trainers have been brought in.
- Earlier this week at least four people were killed when Russia launched several Iranian-made suicide drones to attack Kyiv.
- These attacks have heightened calls from Ukraine for Israel to provide them with Israeli missile defence systems, that also have the ability to down drones.
- In turn, Russia’s former president and current deputy chairman of their Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that that “Israel seems to be getting ready to supply weapons to the Kyiv regime. A very reckless move. It will destroy all interstate relations between our countries.”
- Defence Minister Benny Gantz last night sought to clarify saying, “I want to make it clear that we did not sell weapons to Ukraine.”
- His clarification followed a tweet from Minister for Diaspora Affairs Nachman Shai who wrote a few days ago, “the time has come for Ukraine to receive military aid [from Israel] as well, just as the USA and NATO countries provide.”
- In a rare display of agreement, Leader of the Opposition Netanyahu backed Gantz, calling it “a prudent policy.” Netanyahu also warned that “there’s always a possibility, and this happened time and again, that weapons that we supplied in one battlefield, end up in Iranians hands used against us.”
Context: Israel’s Prime Minister Lapid has been more outspoken against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Last week Lapid said, “I strongly condemn the Russian attacks on the civilian population in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine. I send our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and the Ukrainian people.”
- So far, Israel has supplied humanitarian and medical aid as well as helmets and bullet proof vests, but have resisted calls to supply any military hardware, including defensive systems.
- Since the beginning of the conflict Ukrainian officials have asked Israel to supply its anti-missile defence systems, in particular, the Iron Dome.
- Israel has so resisted supplying anti-missile systems for a number of reasons:
- The payload of most Russian armaments would be overwhelming for the Iron Dome system which was designed to intercept short range missiles.
- All of Israel’s Iron Dome systems are actively deployed to protect Israeli citizens from potential attacks from Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north.
- Israel’s long standing concern has been to balance their relations with Russia, which effectively sits on Israel’s northern border and controls the airspace over Syria. Israel operates a “deconfliction mechanism” with Russia, that facilitates Israel strikes against Iranian military build-up and advanced weapons destined for Hezbollah.
- The system could be deployed against drones, but producing new batteries, in the quantity that would meaningfully serve a country the size of Ukraine is considered unrealistic.
- The system would require integration into Ukraine’s defence systems, which would also need to include radars and warning systems.
- Their deployment would require Israeli personnel to operate the system or train up Ukrainians.
- It should also be noted that US has also not provided Ukraine with their Patriot anti-missile system.
- Israel finds itself in a difficult predicament; the Ukrainians are angry at the perceived lack of help while Russia is getting closer and becoming more reliant on Iran.
Looking ahead: Iran is expected to send more drones to Russia as well as Iranian made surface-to-surface.
- Tomorrow it is anticipated that Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will issue a formal request to Israel asking for air defence systems.
- Kuleba will also be submitting a proposal to formally cut diplomatic ties with Iran.
- Israel is not expected to change its stance so close to the election, but a new government could review this policy.