WSJ: Moscow, Tehran move forward with plans to build Iranian-designed drone plant in Russia

Moscow and Tehran have advanced plans to build an Iranian-designed factory in Russia that could produce more than 6,000 combat drones, the Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 5, citing unnamed "officials from a country aligned with the U.S."

According to the report, an Iranian delegation came to Russia to visit the planned site for the plant and work out the details of the deal in early January.

"The two countries are aiming to build a faster drone that could pose new challenges for Ukrainian air defenses," the WSJ said, citing officials.

Iran has supplied Russia with hundreds of its drones, including the kamikaze Shahed-136 models, according to Kyiv. Russia has been using these drones along with missiles to strike at critical infrastructure across Ukraine.

As of early January, Ukraine's air defense shot down nearly 500 Iranian-made drones launched by Russia since September, according to the Air Force.

US sanctions Iranian entities for supplying drones to Russia.

The Kyiv Independent