Iran Providing Drones and Missiles, Technical Assistance to Russia

Iran has agreed to provide Russia with surface-to-surface missiles, and will provide more drones for use against Ukraine, Reuters reported citing two senior Iranian officials and two Iranian diplomats. In addition, other news outlets reported on Tuesday that Iran has sent members of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to a military base in Crimea, where many of the Iranian military drones were sent to Russia, to help train Russian troops in how to operate the unmanned aerial vehicles. Hundreds of Iran’s Shahed-136 drones have been sent to Russia, according to reports. The New York Times reported that Iran also has sent Mohajer-6 drones, which can carry missiles and do surveillance. Iran and Russia have denied that Iranian drones are being used against Ukraine. Russian air strikes destroyed about 30% of the power stations in Ukraine in the last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday; drones also have destroyed residential buildings and infrastructure. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday that he will make a formal request to Israel for immediate air defense assistance. Defense Minister Benny Gantz responded in interviews with Israeli media outlets that Israel would not sell weapons to Ukraine.