Western intelligence officials say Moscow may be providing operational guidance drawn from the war in Ukraine as Tehran expands drone operations in the Middle East.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Russia is reportedly assisting Iran in refining drone warfare tactics developed during the war in Ukraine, according to a Western intelligence official familiar with the matter.
The official told CNN that Moscow’s involvement appears to have expanded from general intelligence support to more specific operational guidance involving unmanned aerial systems.
“What was more general support is now getting more concerning, including UAS targeting strategies that Russia employed in Ukraine,” the official said, referring to unmanned aircraft systems.
The report focuses on Shahed drones originally designed by Iran and later mass-produced by Russia for use against Ukrainian targets. These drones have been deployed extensively during the conflict, often in coordinated waves designed to overwhelm air defense systems.
Western officials say the same operational concepts may now be influencing Iranian drone tactics in the Middle East.
Russian forces have used Shahed drones in large-scale swarm attacks during the war in Ukraine, launching significant numbers simultaneously while frequently altering flight paths to complicate interception.
At times, Ukrainian defenses have reportedly faced more than 1,000 drones during a single night of attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had begun directly assisting Iran with drone capabilities, writing on X that “Russia has started supporting the Iranian regime with drones.”
“It will definitely help with missiles, and it is also helping them with air defense,” Zelenskyy said.
Previous reporting has indicated that Russia has shared satellite imagery with Iran drawn from Moscow’s space-based surveillance network.
Officials have not publicly confirmed what Russia may be receiving from Iran in exchange for the support. Moscow has denied sharing intelligence with Tehran.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Tuesday that Russian officials denied the allegations and that the United States was taking Moscow “at their word,” according to a report from Newsmax.
Ukraine has attempted to counter the spread of these tactics by sharing its defensive experience with other countries.
Kyiv has reportedly dispatched drone-interception specialists to Gulf states to help train forces on how to defeat Shahed drones, which analysts say cost roughly $30,000 per unit.
Ukrainian engineers have also developed small interceptor drones costing about $5,000 that can be rapidly produced and deployed against incoming UAVs.
The intelligence concerns emerge as tensions escalate across the Persian Gulf and the broader Middle East.
Western officials have expressed particular concern about Iranian activity in the Strait of Hormuz, including reports of naval mines, sea-drone attacks, and unconventional maritime tactics involving small fishing vessels known as dhows.
During the early days of the conflict, Iran claimed it had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln with missiles.
U.S. Central Command disputed that claim, stating on X that the aircraft carrier had not been hit.
“The Lincoln was not hit,” CENTCOM said. “The missiles launched didn’t even come close.”
The intelligence official also said Western governments are monitoring China’s relationship with Iran, describing Beijing’s involvement as “concerning,” though no details were provided.
The developments come as geopolitical tensions continue to shift across multiple regions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump spoke by phone earlier this week to discuss both the war in Ukraine and the widening conflict in the Middle East, according to a report from Newsmax.
Analysts say the growing overlap between the conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East highlights how drone warfare and autonomous technologies are increasingly shaping modern military strategy.
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