Russia Secretly Supplies Weapons and Goods to Iran via the Caspian Sea – NYT
Kyiv • UNN
Through the Caspian Sea, the Russian Federation secretly transfers drones and ammunition to Iran by turning off vessel radars. The route is also used for exporting grain and fuel.
Russia is using the Caspian Sea as a hidden route for supplying weaponry, military cargo, and commercial goods to Iran amid the war and sanctions pressure. This was reported by The New York Times, according to UNN.
Details
According to the publication, ammunition, drones, and other military cargo are being transported between Russian and Iranian ports via the Caspian route. Some vessels turn off their transponders during voyages to conceal their movements.
U.S. officials stated that Russia is also supplying drone components to Iran via the Caspian Sea. According to them, this helps Tehran restore its strike capabilities after losing about 60% of its drone arsenal during recent hostilities. U.S. representatives provided assessments regarding the activities of private military structures on condition of anonymity.
The article notes that this corridor has become one of the key channels of cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. Civilian and commercial goods, including grain, fuel, and food, are also transported through it.
Iran is actively rerouting imports of basic food products through the Caspian Sea
Russia is reorienting exports through the Caspian
Russian trade officials and port statistics also indicate a sharp increase in shipments across the Caspian Sea in recent months.
According to Vitaly Chernov, head of analytics at the Russian media group PortNews, about 2 million tons of Russian wheat, which was previously exported to Iran annually via the Black Sea, is now being transported via the Caspian due to the risks of Ukrainian attacks.
Amid instability in the Middle East, Caspian routes to Iran look much more attractive
Earlier, Western media reported that Israel struck the Iranian port of Bandar Anzali on the Caspian, which, according to sources, was used in the Russian-Iranian military supply scheme.