Russia is providing billions of dollars in military aircraft and equipment in exchange for imports, as well as, ultimately, assistance with building attack drones for use in Ukraine, the White House said in a declassified intelligence report given to news outlets Friday.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed that Iran dug in supply lines to transfer the one-way attack drones to Russia through the Caspian sea, which are then provided to Russian forces to attack Ukrainian cities over long distances, according to The Associated Press. Iran has also agreed to provide materials for constructing a drone factory, and as repayment, Iran hopes to acquire Russian warplanes and air defense systems, The Washington Post reported.
“This is a full-scale defense partnership that is harmful to Ukraine, to Iran’s neighbors, and to the international community,” Kirby said, according to the AP.
The White House released satellite imagery of photos taken in April where the factory “will probably be built” in Russia’s Alabuga special economic zone, about 100 miles east of Moscow, according to the AP. U.S. intelligence said the plant could be operational next year. (RELATED: US Had Intel On Ukrainian Plot To Sabotage Nord Stream Pipeline Months Before Attack: REPORT)
The Biden administration initially revealed Tehran’s plans to provide the kamikaze drones to Moscow in July, beginning a pattern of declassified intelligence disclosures of deepening military cooperation between Russia and Iran.
“We are continuing to use all the tools at our disposal to expose and disrupt these activities including by sharing this with the public — and we are prepared to do more,” Kirby said, according to the AP.
Russia had received up to 400 kamikaze drones as of May and is looking to refill its arsenal, the White House said, according to the AP.
An image shows Iranian drone transfer to Russia, as evidence of new Russian-Iran cooperation, in this handout acquired June 9, 2023. White House/Handout via REUTERS
Also on Friday, the Biden administration’s Department of Justice released an advisory to companies and other governments containing steps on how to comply with U.S. sanctions and avoid inadvertently providing Iran or Russia with drone parts.
Throughout the conflict, the Biden administration has adopted a strategy of intelligence drips exposing Russia’s plans ahead of their implementation aimed at keeping Russia isolated on a global stage, according to the AP.
White House officials said Tehran mulled selling ballistic missiles to Moscow as well, but so far they have no evidence a deal ever materialized.
Meanwhile, Iran hopes to receive attack helicopters, radars, YAK-130 combat trainer aircraft and other equipment totaling “billions of dollars” from Russia, Kirby said, according to the Post.
In March, Iran said it finalized a deal to purchase Russian SU-35 multirole fighter jets, Reuters reported.
The influx of weapons from Russia could augment Iran’s destabilizing activity in the Middle East and give it a new advantage in multiple potential fields of conflict, the Post reported. They could also make it more difficult for the U.S. and Israel to mount a joint attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.
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