Russia has accumulated 13,000 missiles and no longer needs Iran's support in the war with Ukraine - Financial Times

Russia did not suffer from serious losses from Iran during the latest conflict with Israel, which destroyed key military and nuclear facilities. Currently, Moscow has established independent production of Shahed, accumulated 13,000 missiles and produces up to 200 new ones every month. This is written by the Financial Time, reports UNN.

Details

After almost two weeks of fighting between Israel and Iran, the parties agreed to a truce. During this time, Iranian military and nuclear facilities were seriously damaged - events that could have alarmed Moscow, because Iranian aid played a significant role at the beginning of the full-scale aggression.

In the first years of the war, it was Iran that provided Russia with "badly needed Shahed 136 combat drones and the technology for their production." Later, the Shahed drone, renamed Geran-2 by Russia, became one of the main tools for deep strikes on the territory of Ukraine. Iran also transported artillery shells and other ammunition across the Caspian Sea. In January, both countries signed a strategic partnership agreement, demonstrating their desire to deepen cooperation. However, the situation has now changed.

According to the publication, "a weakened Iran is unlikely to have a major impact on Russia's military efforts."

Russia has established Shahed production

The reason is that Russia has already established large-scale production of Shahed 136 on its territory, having received "production technologies, drawings and training from Iran."

Thanks to the localization of production in the Alabuga economic zone, Russia was able to create "variations from the original Iranian designs", in particular, improving engines, warheads and protection against interference.

The reduction in missile production in Iran after the Israeli strikes is also not critical. Although Russia received a batch of Iranian Fath-360 last year and "previously requested other models", it "did not even use these Fath-360 in Ukraine." Ukrainian intelligence estimates that "Russia has about 13,000 missiles of various ranges and produces up to 200 per month." That is, "there is no urgent need for Iranian missiles."

The Kremlin is strengthening cooperation with new partners

Dependence on Iran reached its peak a year after the start of the war, but since then it has been overshadowed by China and North Korea

In 2023, it was North Korea that became the key supplier of ammunition, missiles and even people. And at the last Victory Parade in Moscow, Putin "publicly hugged and thanked the North Korean generals for their support."

China has an even more powerful influence, providing Russia with "dual-use goods and weapons components." The "construction of a Russian-Chinese logistics complex in Alabuga" is currently underway, which is expected to increase Beijing's participation in the production of drones, including new models such as Harpy-A1 and Harpy-3.

Despite the truce between Israel and Iran, "the future of Iran's nuclear program and the location of its highly enriched uranium remain unclear." And Russia, which is stepping up its offensive in Ukraine, is unlikely to face pressure from the United States to agree to a ceasefire.

The Israeli-Iranian war - and the direct participation of the United States in it - was unwelcome news for Russia. It overturned Moscow's strategic calculations in the Middle East and revealed the limitations of its projection of power. But this war will not force Russia to ease pressure in Ukraine

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