Ukraine says its forces hit Russian vessel carrying Iran-linked cargo in Caspian Sea
Ukraine's security service reported that a Russian ship transporting military cargo linked to Iran was struck in the Caspian Sea, prompting Tehran to issue a warning against Kyiv.
Ukraine announced that its long-range missiles hit a Russian vessel carrying military cargo between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea, a waterway that links the two allies. President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X that the strike achieved "very strong results" against ships used for such shipments.
Ukraine's Security Service said the cargo was sanctioned but did not specify which side supplied the equipment. Iran has previously sent drones to Russia, and officials in Washington have debated whether Russia is reciprocating with support for Tehran.
In response, an Iranian media outlet posted a warning to Zelensky on Telegram, claiming Ukraine was within range of Iran's ballistic missiles. The post included a map of the missiles' reach and a sarcastic comment about the potential waste of "good missiles."
The incident follows recent remarks by U.S. officials. President Donald Trump warned China and Russia against providing weapons to Iran, and Pentagon spokesperson Pete Hegseth told a Senate hearing that Russia and China are enabling Iran in various ways. Zelensky also accused Russia of sharing satellite imagery that has been used to target U.S. facilities in the Gulf region.
No further details about the cargo or the damage to the vessel were released.