Russia has received hundreds of one-way attack drones from Iran, using them against Ukraine, the White House says.
Citing newly declassified information, the White House said the drones, or uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), were built in Iran, shipped across the Caspian Sea and then used by Russian forces to attack Ukraine.
“Russia has been using Iranian UAVs in recent weeks to strike Kyiv and terrorise the Ukrainian population, and the Russia-Iran military partnership appears to be deepening,” White House spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
“We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from inside Russia.”
Kirby said the US had information Russia was receiving materials from Iran required to build a drone manufacturing plant that could be fully operational early next year.
“We are releasing satellite imagery of the planned location of this UAV manufacturing plant in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone,” he said.
The US has previously sanctioned Iranian executives at a defence manufacturer over drone supplies to Russia.
