Iran Supplies Russia with a Higher Number of Drones

According to a report from the G-translators team of the New Federal State of China (NFSC), an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) showed that Russia is using a “significantly higher number” of Iranian-made drones to knock out Ukrainian infrastructure than it did in previous weeks. Last Saturday, Ukraine’s Air Force Command said that Russian forces launched 15 attacks with the Iranian Shahed-136 and 131 drones, which targeted infrastructure in Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa. About 10 drones were shot down. Facilities in Odesa were damaged.

In addition, according to the analysis, the increased pace of Russian drone attacks may indicate that Russian forces accumulated more drones over the three weeks of not using them, or that Russia has recently received or expects soon to receive a new shipment of drones from Iran. Russia reportedly depleted its supply of drones last month, and drone strikes stopped being reported around November 17. Since October, Russia has deployed drones in an attack against Ukrainian infrastructure and energy grids. The drones knocked out power, damaged buildings, and facilities, and terrorized Ukrainian people.

Last week, the U.S. warned about a Russia and Iran partnership for joint weapons production and deepening military ties. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the Kremlin has offered “an unprecedented level of military and technical support” to Tehran in return for the drones and other defense.