Russia’s use of Iranian ‘kamikaze’ drones to attack Ukraine means we’re now seeing Iranian terror openly on European soil, and experts warn that Iran is preparing to send more types of drones, and much more of its large arsenal of ballistic missiles.
Not only has Russia been accused of using dozens of drones in attacks on civilian targets, including Kyiv, but there are also reports that Iran has sent military trainers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to Russian-occupied Crimea to help train the Russian military in their use.
Russian initially sent its own personnel to Iran to learn how to use the drones, but the weapons were plagued by problems after they arrived in Russian territory. Iran then sent its trainers to Crimea to address the malfunctions, the report said. It’s unclear whether the Iranians are operating the drones themselves, The New York Times reported.
Russia has been bombarding Ukraine with the drones and other weapons in attacks against Ukrainian energy and infrastructure sites. Despite many being intercepted, the drones have hit electricity infrastructure and have killed Ukrainian civilians, including a pregnant woman who was in a residential building, the report said.
Ukraine calls the drone supply ‘evil’ and has broken off diplomatic contact with Iran because of it.
The drones are the Shahed-136 model aircraft used for air-to-surface attacks at a claimed distance of up to 2,500 kilometers. The so-called “kamikaze” drones carry a small warhead and crash into their targets, exploding on impact. The Iranians have also sent Russia Mohajer-6 drones, which can carry missiles and do surveillance.
Writing for the Spectator, James Snell of New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy says, “Iran’s ballistic missile programme is significant and diverse. It manufactures its own missiles and sends its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps missile-builders as far afield as Lebanon and Yemen. Iran operates a region-wide network of proxies, all of whom want to field missiles and drones to fire at Saudi Arabia, Israel, and American bases – and which the regime is happy to provide them.”
The US, France and the UK said the Iranian drone shipments violated a UN Security Council resolution barring Iranian arms transfers.
Ballistic missiles
Meanwhile, the Washington Post has reported that Iran is preparing its first delivery of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, which will include Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar missiles, capable of reaching targets 300 and 700 kilometers away, respectively.
The briefing was shared with US and Ukrainian officials, according to the newspaper citing two unnamed officials from a US-allied country who had been briefed on the matter.
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