 Kharkiv at risk of becoming second Aleppo, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terikov believes his city is at risk of becoming a second Aleppo if left without help to obtain air defence systems according to an article published by The Guardian. Russia recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, which had a population of 1.4 million in 2021, with the use of missiles, glide bombs and drones, destroying energy infrastructure and killing civilians according to Kiev Independent. Terikov said the US Congress needs to pass the delayed $60 billion Ukraine aid package to ensure new supplies of air defence and to prevent Kharkiv being a second Aleppo, referring to the city in Syria that was devastated by fighting during the Syrian Civil War. The cost of rebuilding everything destroyed or damaged in the city has already reached More than $10 billion, Terikov said earlier in April. Western officials believe that while Russia lacks the capability to launch a fresh offensive on Kharkiv, Moscow is making a coordinated effort to cut off supplies and create conditions that make the city uninhabitable. Bloomberg reported on April 16. Bloomberg's report echoed Terikov's remarks to the economists that Russia aims to make the city uninhabitable for civilians. By the end of March, Russia destroyed all the electrical substations in Kharkiv, leaving Ukraine's second largest city without a stable power supply. While Kharkiv is at particular risk because of its proximity to Russia, lying less than 30 km from the border, stocks of air defence are low across Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on April 16 that Russia managed to destroy the tripelier thermal power plant in Kiev Oblast in a missile strike on April 11 because Ukraine had run out of missiles for its defence. Russia may transfer fighter jets and air defence equipment to Iran. Russia is considering providing Iran with modern fighter jets and air defence equipment to protect it from Israeli and US attacks. Military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran has reached a new level, reports The Washington Post. According to the data, Iran has opened a new dangerous chapter in its relations with Russia by agreeing to supply thousands of combat drones and missiles in 2022 to help Moscow in its war against Ukraine. The expanded ties helped cement deals between Moscow and Tehran, including Russia's promise to provide its ally with modern fighter jets and air defence technology that could help Tehran bolster its defences against any future Israeli or US airstrike. It is unclear how many systems have been delivered and deployed, but the Russian technology could turn Iran into a much more formidable adversary, with enhanced capabilities to shoot down aircraft and missiles, officials and experts say. The arms deals, some of the details of which have not been previously disclosed, are part of a broader cooperation that includes joint production of military drones in Russia, sharing of jamming technology and real-time assessments of weapons deployed against NATO and in Ukraine, intelligence officials and arms experts said. According to them, this cooperation brings significant benefits to both countries, while elevating Iran's status from a junior ally to a strategic partner. Intelligence officials said that Russia is pushing forward with secretly concluded deals to supply Iran with Su-35, one of Russia's most powerful fighter bombers. On the defence side, Iran has long been asking Russia for the latest anti-aircraft missile batteries to protect its nuclear and military facilities from a possible US or Israeli attack. In 2007, Tehran signed a deal to buy the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft system, but Moscow postponed the delivery of the weapon due to pressure from the United States and European states. The voluntary ban ended in 2016 and Iranian S-300s became operational in 2019. Since then, Iran has sought to acquire the more powerful Russian S-400 system, although it is not publicly known whether Moscow has taken steps to supply S-400 batteries. Some S-400 variants are equipped with radars capable of countering stealth technologies used by modern military aircraft. According to intelligence officials, Moscow also benefits from this cooperation. In addition to the thousands of drones purchased from Iran late last year, Russia agreed to buy about $2 billion worth of additional military goods, including anti-drone defence systems which have become a top priority for Russian generals in Ukraine.