UK Defense Ministry: Iran’s support for Russian military ‘likely to grow’ in coming months.
Iran is currently “one of Russia’s top military backers” worldwide, the U.K. Defense Ministry said on Dec. 10.
“Russia is attempting to obtain more weapons (from Iran), including hundreds of ballistic missiles,” the ministry said in its intelligence briefing. “In return, Russia is highly likely offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support that is transforming their defense relationship.”
Tehran has denied supplying weapons to Russia during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine despite overwhelming evidence of such supplies. In early November Iran acknowledged selling arms to Moscow but claimed that it occurred before the full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24.
Meanwhile, components of Iranian-made self-detonating drones, known as kamikaze drones, have been discovered by Ukraine in its territory after Russia’s attacks.
Cheaper than cruise missiles, kamikaze drones have helped Russia hit its targets and kill scores of civilians.
Despite the tension buildup over Iran reportedly planning to supply missiles to Russia, Kyiv has so far said it has not observed such delivery yet.
Russia’s missile stock is “critically low” but it still has enough reserves to launch “several more” large-scale attacks on Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov.
“If Russia succeeds in bringing a large number of Iranian ballistic missiles into service, it will likely use them to continue and expand its campaign of strikes against Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure,” the U.K. Defense Ministry said.
