**China, Russia, and Iran to Hold Joint Naval Exercises**
The Chinese Defense Ministry has announced that China, Russia, and Iran will hold joint maritime exercises in the Gulf of Oman this month. The drills are set to start on March 11 in the port of Chabahar, located in southeast Iran.
This is not the first time these three countries have held joint naval exercises together. They also conducted similar exercises in 2023 and 2024. The new drills will focus on practicing countering maritime targets, rescue operations, and maneuvering.
**China and Russia Deepen Ties**
The Chinese Defense Ministry said that the exercises aim to deepen “mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation” between the participating countries’ armies. China and Russia have been strengthening their ties in recent years, with China becoming a key ally of Moscow during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has also strengthened its ties with Iran, particularly in the area of military cooperation. Iran provided Russia with thousands of Shahed attack drones used in attacks against Ukrainian cities.
**Ukraine Conflict**
Meanwhile, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that they downed 73 out of 119 drones launched by Russia overnight, including Shahed-type attack drones.
The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that Russian special forces are being detected, blocked, and destroyed, with heavy losses in the Sudzha area. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the weapons used by Russia contained over 82,000 foreign components.
**International Support for Ukraine**
Despite the ongoing conflict, many countries continue to show support for Ukraine. The United States vetoed a proposal to establish a joint task force to tackle sanctions evasion related to Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
France has pledged to provide Ukraine with €195 million in military aid using interest accrued from frozen Russian assets. Sweden will also provide over $2 million to support Ukrainian women.
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