Iran helping Russia build 'orders of magnitude larger' drone stockpile
Iran is helping Russia create a "orders of magnitude larger" arsenal of drones
Russia, with the assistance of Iran, is building a drone manufacturing facility on its own territory that could have a significant impact on the war in Ukraine once it is completed, CNN wrote.
Analysts from the Defense Intelligence Agency shared during a briefing on Friday that the drone-manufacturing facility now under construction is expected to provide Russia with a new drone stockpile that is “orders of magnitude larger” than what it has been able to procure from Iran to date.
In April, satellite imagery of the planned location for the drone manufacturing facility was published by the U.S., indicating that Iran has regularly been ferrying equipment to Russia to help with the facility’s construction.
It is currently believed that Iran has provided Russia with over 400 Shahed 131, 136 and Mohajer drones – a stockpile that Russia has almost completely depleted
Last year, U.S. intelligence indicated that Iran was considering providing ballistic missiles to Russia, but this plan appears to have been postponed for now.
Analysts have said that Iran benefits from supplying military equipment to Russia, as it allows them to showcase their weaponry to potential international buyers while receiving financial support from Russia for their space and missile programs.
Supply of Iranian weapons to Russia
Russia is utilizing Iranian drones to carry out attacks on Ukraine. Despite previous denials from Moscow and Tehran, the West has repeatedly accused Russia of reaching an agreement with Iran for the supply of drones.
After concrete evidence of Russia using Iranian-made drones emerged, Tehran changed its stance and acknowledged its involvement in the matter.
British intelligence reports suggest that Russia has shifted from receiving small Iranian drone shipments via air transport to larger quantities, via the Caspian Sea, using ships from Iran.
