Ukraine said on Friday it struck two Russian vessels in the Caspian Sea that had previously been sanctioned by the United States for transporting military cargoes between Iran and Russia.
Ukraine’s special forces said in a statement on Telegram that the operation was carried out with the help of what they described as a local resistance group and targeted the ships near the Russian republic of Kalmykia.
The vessels were identified as the Composer Rakhmaninoff and the Askar-Sarydzha. Ukraine said both ships had been used by Russia for military purposes and were under US sanctions over their role in moving weapons and military equipment between Iran and Russia.
Ukraine did not say how the ships were hit or provide details on the extent of any damage.
The statement said the resistance group had supplied information on the ships’ маршруtes and cargoes. Russia has not commented on the claim.
Iran and Russia have expanded military and logistical cooperation since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Western governments have accused Tehran of supplying drones and other equipment to Russia, allegations Iran has denied.
Iranian-designed Shahed drones, now manufactured inside Russia under the name Geran, have played a growing role in the war. The Financial Times reported earlier this year that the drones are increasingly overwhelming Ukraine’s air defenses as Russia steps up swarm attacks.
Ukraine’s air force has said Russia often launches large numbers of Shahed-type drones alongside missile strikes to strain air defense systems. The United States has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Iran’s drone production and procurement networks over their alleged role in supporting Russia’s war effort.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on the sidelines of the International Forum for Peace and Trust in the capital Ashgabat, an unusual gathering in one of the world’s most closed states.
Putin said Moscow and Tehran remain in close contact on major international issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
“We are in close contact on all key international issues, including all matters related to the Iranian nuclear program. You know our position: we support Iran at the UN,” Putin said, adding that the foreign ministers of the two countries are “in constant contact.”
He said Russia and Iran are negotiating cooperation in the gas and electricity sectors and will work together on energy transmission projects.
“We are holding talks in the gas and power sectors, and cooperation in energy transfer will take shape,” he said.
He added that relations between the two countries are expanding steadily. “Our relations are developing day by day,” Putin said, pointing to plans to advance the North–South transport corridor linking Russia to South Asia via Iran.
Putin also cited plans to expand cooperation at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, which was built by Russia.
Broader strategic ties
The meeting comes as Tehran and Moscow deepen strategic cooperation under Western sanctions. Earlier this month, the two countries signed a new agreement covering artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, expanding collaboration in digital infrastructure, data transit and e-government.
Iran and Russia have also worked closely on space projects. Tehran has said three Iranian satellites will be launched aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket later this month, following earlier launches carried out with Russian support.
The sudden reversal and the stilted language of the announcement of her return in an Instagram post led to concerns by some about her wellbeing.
“I must tell you that I am present in my country, Iran. Undoubtedly, my country, my homeland, and my soil are the safest place in the world for me. As an Iranian, Iran is always my safe home,” the post said. “With the support and help of the Supreme Leader, I will return to the warm family hearth.”
A Quranic verse follows the message in Arabic: “When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.”
Ahmadi, 23, was the only Iranian woman to compete at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and had been seen as one of the country’s top alpine skiing prospects.
Ahmadi remained in Europe after a training and competition trip in early 2023 and applied for asylum in Germany, later appearing in media and campaign material that highlighted her story as a refugee athlete.
The announcement sparked mixed reactions among Iranians on social media. Some users accused authorities of pressuring Ahmadi or using her case for propaganda.
Iranian intelligence agents and police have routinely compelled dissidents to recant their views and disavow past activism in social media posts, sometimes even mandating a set number of favorable posts in exchange for restored internet access.
“It’s unclear how they made that place unsafe for the poor girl and how much pressure they put on the family in Iran for her to write ‘My homeland is the safest place in the world for me.’ As long as the Islamic Republic exists, no person in the world will have security,” one user posted on X.
Others framed her decision as a personal choice driven by homesickness, economic insecurity abroad or family ties. Accounts close to the government praised the move.
“Atefeh Ahmadi, the former national athlete of Iran’s skiing team who had sought refuge in Germany, has returned to the country with the support of His Holiness the Supreme Leader,” one account said. “Praise be to God, we have a compassionate leader who, like a father, keeps an eye on all his children and supports them.”
Iranian officials have provided no details about the conditions of Ahmadi’s return, including whether she will rejoin the national team or what guarantees she has received.