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Shoigu arrives in Tehran for talks with Iran's military leaders

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Shoigu arrives in Tehran for talks with Iran's military leaders
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrives in the Iranian capital of Tehran for a state visit on Sept. 19, 2023. (Source: Russian Defense Ministry)

A Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Tehran on Sept. 19 for talks with the Iranian military leadership, the Russian Defense Ministry announced.

Moscow said that the visit aims to strengthen the military ties between the two countries as Russia grows increasingly dependent on foreign support in its war against Ukraine.

Iran has been supplying Russia with Shahed kamikaze drones that the Russian military regularly uses in air strikes against Ukraine.

Russia has even reportedly managed to launch production of domestic-made versions of the drones.

Aside from Iran, the Kremlin has been making overtures to North Korea as well, hoping to secure munitions supplies as Russia is spending its arsenal on a mass scale on Ukrainian battlefields.

How Russia loses allies, influence amid its aggression against Ukraine
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Martin Fornusek

Reporter

Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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