Summary:
The White House has released new details on the cooperation between Russia and Iran in military drone production, including the refueling route Iran uses to send its unmanned aerial vehicles to the front lines of Ukraine and the location of a possible Russian factory to produce them. The United States has also released a satellite image of Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which it said showed where Moscow is likely to produce Iranian drones. The U.S. government has issued a new advisory to inform businesses and governments about the risks of Iran’s drone program and the illicit ways Tehran obtains supplies for it. Iranian-made drones have been a major part of Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine, and it has been used to attack critical infrastructure and residential targets in Kyiv, resulting in the deaths of Ukrainian civilians. President Joe Biden’s administration has warned that Iran is considering selling hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia, and Russia has received hundreds of one-way strike drones and equipment related to drone production from Iran since May.
Additional Piece:
The cooperation between Russia and Iran in military drone production is a cause for concern for countries that are in conflict with either nation as it gives them an opportunity to use drones as a means for attacks. Drones have become a major threat in conflicts worldwide as they can be used to gather intelligence and launch attacks from remote locations, making it difficult for defense and security forces to preempt and prevent such attacks. With the increasing sophistication of drone technology, drones have become more accessible to non-state actors as well, which further increases the risk of attacks from these devices.
The United States has taken a strong stance against Russia and Iran’s cooperation in drone production as it seeks to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over his war in Ukraine and deprive him of military equipment. The U.S. government has issued a new advisory to inform businesses and governments about the risks of Iran’s drone program and the illicit ways Tehran obtains supplies for it. The aim is to prevent American businesses from inadvertently supplying Iran with materials or products that could be used in the production of drones.
The conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the dangers of drones as they have been used to target critical infrastructure and residential areas, resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians. This has raised concerns about the ethics of using drones as a weapon of war and the need for international norms and regulations to guide their use. The UN is currently working on a framework that would regulate the development and deployment of autonomous weapons, including drones, with the aim of reducing the risk of civilian harm.
The cooperation between Russia and Iran in drone production highlights the need for countries to identify and mitigate the risks posed by new and emerging technologies. The use of drones in warfare will only increase in the future, and it is essential that nations develop policies and strategies to deal with this new threat. This includes investing in counter-drone technology, developing regulations and norms for the use of drones in warfare, and building partnerships and alliances to share intelligence and resources to prevent and respond to drone attacks.
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The White House released new details on what it said would deepen cooperation between Russia and Iran on military drone production, including the refueling route Iran uses to send its unmanned aerial vehicles to the front lines of Ukraine and the site of a possible Russian factory to produce them.
The information is part of a steady stream of declassified intelligence about military ties between Moscow and Tehran as Washington seeks to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over his war in Ukraine and deprive him of military equipment.
“The drones are built in Iran, shipped across the Caspian Sea from Amirabad, Iran, to Makhachkala, Russia, and then used operationally by Russian forces against Ukraine,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. of the United States. “We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from inside Russia.”
The United States has released a satellite image of Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which it said showed where Moscow is likely to produce Iranian drones. Kirby said the United States had intelligence indicating that Russia was receiving materials from Iran to build the drone production site.
“We are continuing to use all the tools at our disposal to expose and disrupt these activities, including sharing them with the public, and we are ready to do more,” said Kirby.
The United States on Friday announced a new government advisory to inform businesses and governments about the risks of Iran’s drone program and the illicit ways Tehran obtains supplies for it. It had previously blacklisted individuals and companies involved in the transfer of Iranian military equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine and worked with European partners to impose restrictions to prevent electronics found in Iranian drones from ending up on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Iranian-made drones have been a major part of Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine intensified in October. UAVs have been used to attack critical infrastructure and residential targets in Kyiv, with many of the attacks resulting in the deaths of Ukrainian civilians.
Moscow further escalated its airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital last month, launching dozens of Shahed drones, along with cruise missiles and other rockets, in at least 18 bombing raids over 31 days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in one of his evening speeches last month that “about 1,160 Shaheds have been used against Ukraine” and that his air defenses have “shot down nearly 900 of these drones to date”.
In an appeal to the leadership of Tehran and to “every Iranian family”, Zelenskyj also asked “why do you want to be accomplices in Russian terror? . . . Why does Iran need such cynical assassinations, committed by the hands of Russia, but with your weapons?”
Last year, the United States released satellite images and intelligence information that it said indicated that Iran had sold hundreds of attack drones to Moscow. Last month, the White House warned that Russia was looking to buy more strike drones from Iran after using up most of the 400 drones it had previously purchased from Tehran. Russia has received hundreds of one-way strike drones and equipment related to drone production from Iran since May, Kirby said on Friday.
President Joe Biden’s administration has also warned that Iran is considering selling hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia, but no such deal has so far been implemented.
Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said last month that Russia and Iran had “adapted very well to US pressure” and “will continue to build a relationship based on mutual benefit and respect, taking into account each other’s interests and concerns.” “. He said Russia “never had any illusions” that the United States would stop lobbying countries that “seek truly mutually beneficial cooperation.”
Iran has denied taking sides in the war in Ukraine or selling drones to Russia for use on the battlefield. But Iranian military commanders have expressed interest in boosting military ties with Moscow, in particular by buying Russian-made Sukhoi fighter planes to reinvigorate its air force.
Additional reporting by Max Seddon in Riga and Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran
https://www.ft.com/content/170bc451-252d-4acb-80ea-43c0a6e19fc8
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