A man tries to put out a fire at a residential house hit by Russian shells next to a flooded area on June 9, 2023 in Kherson, Ukraine.
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The White House said on Friday that Russia appears to be increasing defense cooperation with Iran and has received hundreds of one-way strike drones it is using to attack Ukraine.
Citing newly declassified information, the White House said the drone, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), was built in Iran, transported across the Caspian Sea and then used by Russian forces. against Ukraine.
“Russia has used Iranian drones in recent weeks to attack Kiev and terrorize the Ukrainian people, and the Russian-Iranian military partnership appears to be deepening,” said White House spokesman John Kirby. said in a statement.
“We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from within Russia.”
Kirby said the US has information that Russia is receiving the necessary materials from Iran to build a fully operational drone factory early next year.
“We are publishing satellite images of the expected location of this UAV factory in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone,” he said.
The United States previously sanctioned Iranian executives at a defense manufacturer for supplying drones to Russia. Iran has admitted to sending drones to Russia but said in the past they were sent before Russia’s February invasion. Moscow has denied its forces used Iranian drones in Ukraine. A White House official said Iran has shipped hundreds of drones to Russia since August.
Russia has been providing Iran with unprecedented defense cooperation, including missiles, electronic equipment and air defense.
John Kirby
White House Spokesperson
Support between Iran and Russia is going both ways, Kirby said, with Iran seeking billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Russia, including helicopters and radars.
“Russia has been providing Iran with unprecedented defense cooperation, including missiles, electronics and air defense,” he said.
“This is a comprehensive defense partnership that is harmful to Ukraine, Iran’s neighbors and the international community. We are continuing to use all available tools to expose and disrupt the this activity, including sharing this with the public – and we are ready to do more.”
Kirby said the delivery of the drones constituted a violation of United Nations rules and the United States would seek to hold the two countries accountable.
Britain, France, Germany, the United States and Ukraine allege that supplying Iran-made drones to Russia violates a 2015 United Nations Security Council resolution respecting the Iran nuclear deal.
Under a 2015 UN resolution, a conventional arms embargo against Iran is in place until October 2020.
Ukraine and Western powers argue that the resolution includes restrictions on missiles and related technologies until October 2023 and could include the export and purchase of advanced military systems such as Unmanned aircraft.
The Iranian and Russian missions to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the US allegations.
“We will continue to impose sanctions on the parties involved in the transfer of Iranian military equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine,” Kirby said.
He said a new US advisory issued on Friday was intended to “help businesses and other governments better understand the risks posed by Iran’s UAV program and the illegal acts that are being committed.” Iran used to buy parts for it.”
The advice highlights the key categories Iran looks for in developing drones, including electronics such as processors and controllers.
