Ukraine Latest: US Envoy Rejects Iran Version of Drone Shipments

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(Bloomberg) -- A US envoy called Iran’s statement that it provided drones to Russia months before the invasion of Ukraine “not true,” saying the Tehran government transferred dozens “just this summer.” That followed Iran’s first acknowledgement of any sort that it supplied Russia with drones.

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Ukraine’s grid operator said it was limiting power supplies to Kyiv and seven northern and central regions because of damage from Russian strikes. Over a dozen drones and missiles were shot down in the past day.

A march against Italian military support for Ukraine drew tens of thousands of people in Rome, including a former prime minister.

(See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.)

Key Developments

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  • US Announces $400 Million in Tanks and Missiles for Ukraine

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  • US National Security Adviser Visits Kyiv in Show of Support

  • Sweden to Dissociate From Kurdish Groups in NATO Bid, SVT Says

On the Ground

Russia launched another four missile and five other air strikes against Ukraine on Saturday, Kyiv-based military staff said without providing more detail. Shelling was reported in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. Ukraine’s air defense shot down 11 Iranian-made Shahed-136 loitering drones, three other drones and two Kalibr cruise missiles launched by Russia over the past day, officials said. Two Russian helicopters were shot down in Kherson region, Ukraine said. Russian forces conducted offensive actions in the Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Novopavlivka areas, Ukraine’s General Staff said. Defense force units repelled attacks in several settlements in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Ukraine said it destroyed six Russian fuel stations in the Mykolaiv region on Friday.

(All times CET)

US Seeks Ukraine Signal on Negotiations: Washington Post (11:40 p.m.)

The Biden administration is prodding Ukrainian leaders to signal openness to negotiations with Russia to help the government in Kyiv address war support fatigue among some of its allies, the Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The people described it as a calculated attempt to maintain international support for Ukraine’s war effort, rather than pressure for Ukraine to negotiate, according to the Post.

Ukraine to Boost Maritime Drone Power, Zelenskiy Says (6:45 p.m.)

Ukraine’s government is seeking to replenish its maritime drone fleet to boost its defenses in the Black Sea, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, a week after Ukraine claimed a drone strike on Russia’s new flagship frigate, the Admiral Makarov.

“Next week, we will launch another fund-raising direction -- we will raise funds for a fleet of marine drones,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. He didn’t elaborate on the proposed source of funding.

US Envoy Says Iran’s Drone Account ‘Not True’ (6:09 p.m.)

Robert Malley, the US special envoy for Iran, said an Iranian claim that its drones were provided to Russia before the war in Ukraine began is false.

Anti-War March in Rome Draws Tens of Thousands (5 p.m.)

Tens of thousands marched through Rome on Saturday calling for efforts toward a negotiated settlement in Ukraine and urging Italy, a NATO member, to stop providing military aid to Kyiv to fight Russia’s invasion. “No to war. No to sending weapons,” read a large banner carried by protesters.

Police estimated attendance at about 30,000; organizers claimed 100,000. Italy’s government, led by right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is being watched for any change in policy toward the war in Ukraine.

Marchers included former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who heads the Five Star party. The event had the support from unions, some churches and Rome political figures. A smaller, competing rally in support of Ukraine was held in Milan.

US Senators Discuss Russian Accountability at The Hague (4:33 p.m.)

US Senators Chris Coons of Delaware, a Democrat, and Rob Portman of Ohio, a Republican, held talks at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, two days after meeting with Ukraine’s president.

“During our visit to Kyiv, we saw compelling evidence that Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders are committing atrocities and war crimes in Ukraine,” the lawmakers said in a statement. “President Putin must be held accountable.”

The pair said they spoke with Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, to discuss how the US “can better support their efforts to deliver justice to the people of Ukraine.”

Iran Must Realize ‘Consequences of Complicity,’ Ukraine Says (4 p.m.)

Iran “should realize that the consequences of complicity in crimes of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine will very much offset the benefit from support of Russia,” a Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman said.

Oleg Nikolenko commented on Facebook after Iran said it had provided drones to Russia, reversing earlier denials.

Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran gave Russia a limited number of drones, months before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Western estimates suggest a large number of the weapons have been provided, including during the course of the conflict, now into its ninth month.

Odesa Residents Back Removal of Catherine II Monument (3:24 p.m.)

A majority of voters in Odesa backed the idea of dismantling a monument to Russian empress Catherine II, one of the founders of the city in 18th century.

More than 3,900 out of total of 7,796 who voted said they want to remove the whole monument. Another 2,800 voted to keep the structure in place, but to add historical context.

A long-running discussion on the issue has intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov said he’ll vote to dismantle the monument; the city council plans to discuss the results of the poll.

Sweden to Dissociate From Kurdish Groups in NATO Bid (1:41 p.m.)

Sweden’s government is distancing itself from two Kurdish groups to soothe Turkey’s concerns over its bid to join NATO, Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told local broadcaster SVT.

The cooperation between Sweden and Kurdish groups is a sticking point for Turkey, as it holds off on ratifying the applications of Sweden and Finland to enter the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Joining the bloc requires the approval of all 30 members, and 28 have already signed off.

Read more: Sweden to Dissociate From Kurdish Groups in NATO Bid, SVT Says

Iran Says It Sent Drones to Russia ‘Before the War’ (9 a.m.)

Iran’s foreign minister said his country had sent drones to Russia before Moscow’s invasion in February. “We gave a limited number of drones to Russia months before the Ukraine war,” Hossein Amirabdollahian told reporters in Tehran, according to the Associated Press.

Iran has previous denied sending arms to Russia for its war on Ukraine. Kremlin troops have used Iranian loitering drones to strike Ukrainian energy facilities and other targets for several weeks.

On Twitter, Iran’s government said it was “completely wrong” to claim Iran has provided missiles to Russia. Iranian intelligence has indicated that Russian forces may already have received ballistic missiles from Tehran.

Kyiv, Several Other Regions Face Continued Electricity Cutoffs (8 a.m.)

Ukraine’s power grid will limit power supplies on Saturday to consumers in the capital, Kyiv, and in seven northern and central regions, said Ukrenergo, the main grid operator.

Irregular blackouts are likely during the day given higher electricity usage on Saturdays than during the workweek.

The nation continues to struggle to fix severe damage to electrical generating equipment from weeks of Russian missile and drone attacks.

Ukrainian Lines Holding in Donetsk, Zelenskiy Says (10:30 p.m.)

Fierce fighting took place this week in the Donetsk region towns of Bakhmut and Soledar and remain the most tense area of the front line, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly address on Friday. “We hold our positions.”

Zelenskiy said that Russia has concealed its war losses from its people, and also lies to some foreign leaders “about its alleged readiness for negotiations.”

“When someone thinks about negotiations, he is not trying to deceive everyone around while sending thousands to death,” the president added said.

US’s Sullivan Discussed Grain Initiative on Kyiv Visit (9 p.m.)

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Friday as Iran’s involvement in the Russian invasion has deepened.

Sullivan, who was visiting Ukraine for the first time since the war began eight months ago, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

Ukraine’s infrastructure minister said Sullivan discussed the Black Sea Grain Initiative while in Kyiv. “The aim is to prepare proposals for providing aid to countries suffering from a food crisis,” Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Twitter.

US Announces $400 Million in New Security Assistance (5:06 p.m.)

The Biden administration announced $400 million in new security assistance for Ukraine, including refurbished Soviet-era T-72 tanks and the HAWK air-defense missiles that Ukraine has been seeking. The package also includes more of the “Phoenix Ghost” drones that have been effective against Russian forces in the east.

The US and the Netherlands will split the cost of refurbishing 90 tanks in the Czech Republic, a Defense Department spokeswoman said. Some tanks will arrive before the end of the year.

The Netherlands said the total value of its package would be €120m, of which €45m will be used for the T-72 tanks.

Read more: US Announces $400 Million in New Security Assistance for Ukraine

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