U.S. Defense secretary speaks with Russian counterpart as war in Ukraine enters ninth month

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart Friday morning, the 2nd known telephone since the Kremlin's full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful precocious February.

Pentagon property caput Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Austin spoke with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu by phone. The Kremlin besides confirmed the telephone successful a abstracted readout.

"Secretary Austin emphasized the value of maintaining lines of connection amid the ongoing warfare against Ukraine," according to the Pentagon. The past known lawsuit of the 2 leaders speaking was successful May.

The telephone comes arsenic the warfare enters its ninth period and arsenic Ukraine continues a stunning counteroffensive to retake much of Russian-occupied territory successful the eastbound and south.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken traded barbs past period with his Russian counterpart during a U.N. Security Council meeting. Blinken cited credible reports of Russian forces committing warfare crimes successful Ukraine. America's apical diplomat elaborate the grisly find of wide graves successful the Ukrainian cities of Izyum and Bucha.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied the allegations and placed the blasted for civilian deaths squarely connected Ukraine. He besides blamed the United States, France and Germany for not holding Ukraine accountable for the alleged atrocities.

In caller days, Moscow has upped the ante with respective devastating rocket and drone strikes against what Kyiv said were civilian targets and captious infrastructure specified arsenic vigor facilities. Ukraine has besides accused Russia of utilizing Iranian drones successful its wide and indiscriminate attacks. Tehran and Moscow person repeatedly denied the alleged arms transfers.

Following the caller drone strikes, the United States, Britain and France raised the implications of specified Iranian arms transfers to Russia successful a closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting.

The 3 nations — besides members of the archetypal 2015 Iran atomic woody — accidental that by providing Russia with drones, Iran has violated a U.N. Security Council resolution. The resolution, known arsenic 2231, prohibits the transportation "of each items, materials, instrumentality and goods and technology" from Iran to different federation unless it is approved successful beforehand by the U.N. Security Council connected a case-by-case basis.

Iran's U.N. typical Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told reporters connected Wednesday pursuing the U.N. Security Council meeting that specified transfers are "outside the scope" of the 2015 solution and truthful Tehran has not violated its commitments.

He besides cited Tehran's neutrality successful the Ukraine struggle and reiterated urgent calls for a solution to the war.

"Iran has consistently advocated for bid and the contiguous extremity to the struggle successful Ukraine," Iravani said.

He added that the claims are "unfounded and unsubstantiated" and said that the West was mounting a disinformation run against his country. Iravani, who took nary questions from reporters, besides said the baseless allegations were "disappointing."

Meanwhile, Dmitry Polyanskiy, archetypal lawman imperishable typical of Russia to the United Nations, told reporters that the drones recovered successful Ukraine are not Iranian but Russian-made.

He said that images of the drones downed successful Ukraine intelligibly person Russian inscriptions connected them. He added, though, that helium is not a drone adept and could not elaborate further.