Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks at a news briefing on the Pentagon on July 20, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke along with his Russian counterpart Friday morning, the second known call for the reason that Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February.
Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Austin spoke with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu by phone. The Kremlin also confirmed the decision in a separate readout.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said he spoke with Austin in a separate call. Reznikov said the 2 discussed additional air defense systems in upcoming U.S. security assistance packages for Ukraine’s fight.
“Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the continuing war against Ukraine,” in keeping with the Pentagon. The last known instance of the 2 leaders speaking was in May.
The decision comes because the war enters its ninth month and as Ukraine continues a surprising counteroffensive to retake more of Russian-occupied territory within the east and south.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (C) meet soldiers during a visit at a military training centre of the Western Military District for mobilized reservists, outside the town of Ryazan on October 20, 2022.
Mikhail Klimentyev | Afp | Getty Images
Secretary of State Antony Blinken traded barbs last month along with his Russian counterpart during a U.N. Security Council meeting. Blinken cited credible reports of Russian forces committing war crimes in Ukraine. America’s top diplomat detailed the grisly discovery of mass graves within the Ukrainian cities of Izyum and Bucha.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied the allegations and placed the blame for civilian deaths on Ukraine. He also blamed america, France and Germany for not holding Ukraine accountable for the alleged atrocities.
In recent days, Moscow has upped the ante with several devastating missile and drone strikes against what Kyiv said were civilian targets and demanding infrastructure comparable to energy facilities. Ukraine has also accused Russia of using Iranian drones in its widespread and indiscriminate attacks. Tehran and Moscow have repeatedly denied the alleged arms transfers.
Following the fresh drone strikes, america, Britain and France raised the implications of such Iranian arms transfers to Russia in a closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting.
The three nations — also members of the unique 2015 Iran nuclear deal — say that by providing Russia with drones, Iran has violated a U.N. Security Council resolution. The resolution, referred to as 2231, prohibits the transfer “of all items, materials, equipment and goods and technology” from Iran to a different nation unless it’s approved upfront by the U.N. Security Council on a case-by-case basis.
Iran’s U.N. representative, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, told reporters on Wednesday following the U.N. Security Council meeting that such transfers are “outside the scope” of the 2015 resolution and subsequently Tehran has not violated its commitments.
He also cited Tehran’s neutrality within the Ukraine conflict and reiterated urgent calls for a resolution to the war.
“Iran has consistently advocated for peace and the immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine,” Iravani said.
He added that the claims are “unfounded and unsubstantiated” and said that the West was mounting a disinformation campaign against his country. Iravani, who took no questions from reporters, also said the allegations were “disappointing.”
Meanwhile, Dmitry Polyanskiy, first deputy everlasting representative of Russia to the United Nations, told reporters that the drones present in Ukraine should not Iranian but Russian-made.
He said that images of the drones downed in Ukraine clearly have Russian inscriptions on them. He added, though, that he shouldn’t be a drone expert and will not elaborate further.
