Kyiv is using inexpensive drones that can be purchased from markets, modifying them and equipping them with explosives to target Russian military objectives. Ukraine is converting ordinary drones into "suicide" drones, which are directed to crash into targets and explode, unlike more advanced drones that identify their targets and strike before returning. In contrast, Russia is seeking to activate its cooperation with Iran to rapidly and cheaply produce drones, as revealed by a news report.
The British newspaper "Financial Times" reported that Russia has secretly established a joint factory for the production of military drones with Iran in the Republic of Tatarstan (one of Russia's federal entities), attracting Iranian engineers and experts. The "Financial Times" mentioned that Russia is trying to produce a military drone based on an agricultural drone for use in the war in Ukraine. The newspaper noted that the company "Baltros" is working in this main factory for cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. "Baltros" is a Russian company that was previously specialized in agricultural technology but has now shifted to manufacturing such drones. According to the newspaper, this company has produced reconnaissance drones for the Russian Ministry of Defense, with nearly 50 delivered for battle in eastern Ukraine.
The "Financial Times" wrote that this factory is at the center of expanded Russian cooperation with Tehran. The newspaper emphasized that Moscow is relying on Iranian expertise to develop domestic drone manufacturing capabilities to support its invasion and circumvent most Western sanctions. Additionally, the "Financial Times" stated that activity at this Russian facility has increased in recent months, with advertisements posted for hiring drone engineers and Persian translators to translate "technical documents."
In June of this year, John Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House, noted that Russia received hundreds of new drones from Iran the previous month, saying that Tehran supplied Moscow with the necessary equipment to establish a drone factory, and that Russia could begin producing Iranian drones next year. Kirby indicated that Iran is looking to acquire billions of dollars' worth of military equipment from Russia, including helicopters and radars. He mentioned that Russia has offered Iran unprecedented defense cooperation, including in the fields of missiles, electronics, and air defense.
It is noteworthy that the United States, Britain, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand have imposed sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with drones in the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, Iranian officials deny their military assistance to Russia in the Ukraine war. In recent months, various reports have emerged regarding the presence of Iranian military advisors in the Crimean Peninsula training Russian forces to operate drones in the attack on Ukraine, as well as a potential decision by Iran to establish a drone production line in Russia and supply Moscow with ballistic missiles. Iran is also accused of supporting armed factions in Iraq in their drone attacks on U.S. sites and forces in Iraq, as well as supporting the "Houthis" in Yemen in their drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
