Russia becomes more reliant on Iranian weapons

 ISW:

Iran plans to send more combat drones and new ballistic missile systems to Russia for use in Ukraine, likely further strengthening Russia’s reliance on Iranian-made weapon systems. The Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported on November 1 that Iranian officials intend to send a shipment of more than 200 Shahed-136, Mohajer-6, and Arash-2 combat drones to Russia.[1] The GUR reported that Iran will send Russia the drones in a disassembled state and that Russian personnel will assemble them with Russian markings.[2] CNN reported on November 1 that unnamed officials from a western country that closely monitors Iranian weapons programs stated that Iran plans to send a thousand weapons to Russia by the end of the year, including surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missiles and combat drones.[3] This would be the first confirmed instance of Iran sending Russia advanced precision-guided missiles. Russia likely negotiated the additional Iranian shipment of weapons systems due to the depletion of its stockpile of cruise missile and drone systems over the course of the war in Ukraine, particularly during the Russian campaign against Ukrainian critical infrastructure. The GUR reported that Ukrainian air defenses have shot down more than 300 Shahed-136 drones since Russia starting using them in Ukraine on September 13.[4] Russia will likely continue to use drone attacks and missile strikes against critical infrastructure to try to offset the failures and limitations of its conventional forces on the frontline. Russian dependence on Iranian-made systems, and therefore on Iran, will likely increase.

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 I would not be surprised to see Israel and other Middle East countries take a keen interest in the weapons being sent for Russian use in Ukraine.  While Israel has shown little involvement in this war, it is about to have a new government that should have a keen interest in how to defeat these weapons.  I think the Saudis and other Arab countries could also take an interest.

Russia is having to rely on Iran because it has not been able to produce many of the replacements needed after they were used in Ukraine.  The Western sanctions likely have much to do with that and those sanctions impact both Russia and Iran.  The US should also take an interest in the Iranian weapons because it too is likely to see them eventually.

See, also:

Axis of Evil: Chinese Tech Powering Iranian Drones in Russia-Ukraine War

Report sheds light on Iran-Russia-China nexus and illicit use of American tech

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 Chinese Communist technology is "enabling Iran to manufacture and supply drones to Russian forces," according to the Institute for Science and International Security, a think tank that closely monitors Iran’s military infrastructure. "It appears that Chinese companies are supplying Iran with copies of Western commodities to produce UAV combat drones." Components used to power these drones also appear to originate from companies based in the United States and Europe.

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