Russia Receives Hundreds of Drones from Iran and is Building a Production Plant: White House

The White House stated on Friday that Russia is apparently deepening its defense cooperation with Iran, having received hundreds of kamikaze combat drones from Tehran, which are being used to strike Ukraine, according to the BBC's Russian service.

Citing recently declassified information, the White House revealed that the drones were manufactured in Iran, transported to Russia via the Caspian Sea, and then deployed in Ukraine.

“In recent weeks, Russia has used Iranian drones to strike Kyiv and terrorize the Ukrainian population, and it seems that the Russian-Iranian military partnership is deepening,” said White House spokesperson John Kirby.

“We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian drones within Russia,” Kirby added, as reported by Reuters.

Kirby noted that the U.S. has information indicating that Russia is obtaining materials from Iran necessary to build a drone factory, which could be fully operational by early next year in the special economic zone of Alabuga, Tatarstan.