Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Martin Chulov in Beirut, Dan Sabbagh in Kyiv and Nechirvan Mando

Iran smuggled drones into Russia using boats and state airline, sources reveal

A Shahed 129 displayed in the Iranian capital Tehran in 2013.
A Shahed 129 drone, one of the models smuggled into Russia, displayed in the Iranian capital Tehran in 2013. Photograph: Sepah News/AFP/Getty Images

Iran has used boats and a state-owned airline to smuggle new types of advanced long-range armed drones to Russia for use in its war on Ukraine, sources inside the Middle Eastern country have revealed.

At least 18 of the drones were delivered to Vladimir Putin’s navy after Russian officers and technicians made a special visit to Tehran in November, where they were shown a full range of Iran’s technologies.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.