Ukraine's foreign ministry announced on Friday that since September 2022, Russia has launched 8,060 Iranian-made Shahed 136 suicide drones at Ukraine, as news of Iran’s missile deliveries to Russia dominated headlines this week.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry announced on Friday that September 13 marks the anniversary of the downing of the first Iranian drone over the country.
The United States first warned in July 2022 that Iran was preparing to supply Russia with battlefield drones, and September 13 marked the anniversary of the first Shahed drone being shot down by Ukraine.
Russia soon began large scale use of the Iranian drones in attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilian targets. The Shahed 136 drones have been used alongside cruise and ballistic missile attacks to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. While Western nations have supplied more air defense systems to Ukraine, the cost imbalance remains significant. Shooting down the relatively cheap drones with expensive missiles drains Ukraine’s defense resources, making it a costly challenge to maintain consistent protection against the barrage of incoming threats.
Western media have reported that Russia has begun producing Iranian Shahed drones at a factory in Tatarstan. However, it remains unclear what percentage of the drones currently used are being shipped from Iran versus those manufactured domestically in Russia. The Shahed drones carry a payload of around 40 kilograms that can be devastating against soft civilian targets.
News of Iran delivering short-range ballistic missiles to Russia has dominated headline this month. Western countries are certain that up to 200 Fath-360 missiles with a range of 120 kilometers, and a 150- kilogram warhead, have arrived in Russia.
The Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, described the Fateh-360 missiles in October 2022 as precision-guided, solid-fuel missiles equipped with bunker-busting warheads. Tasnim maintained that the missiles were upgraded with a combined and optical guidance system, these missiles are designed to resist electronic warfare and accurately destroy targets without interference.
The United States and top European powers imposed new sanctions this week against Iran and its state carrier Iran Air for the deliveries - the first missiles Iran is alleged to have delivered to Russia since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia has been producing a new long-range attack drone with Chinese engines and parts, Reuters reported Friday, adding that the new drones have been used in attacks against Ukraine. The new drones would likely “reduce Russian reliance on Iranian drones”, sources from a European intelligence agency were quoted as telling Reuters.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday that the bloc was mulling new sanctions on Iran's aviation sector in response to the missile flights.
"The European Union has repeatedly strongly cautioned Iran against transfers of ballistic missiles to Russia," Borrel said, adding that the EU would "respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners".
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman accused the EU of acting on misinformation and warned that Western sanctions will be met with an unspecified response from the Islamic Republic. However, the government apparently allowed one well-known commentator to criticize the missile delivery in local media, and a lawmaker confirmed the news, despite denials by the foreign ministry.
Iranian government-owned media and semi-independent outlets under government control have largely remained silent on the drone and missile delivery controversy. Many Iranians resent the Islamic government’s foreign adventures that have brought on sanctions and isolation, seriously hurting the country’s economy.
