© Reuters
Drone attack on Kyiv, September 10
Dnevnik Express
Learn the most important and interesting with the bulletin at 5 p.m. Every day, directly to your email.
Many European components are used in the Iranian “kamikaze drones” that Russia is using against Ukraine. This is indicated by a secret document sent by Kiev to its Western partners, which the British newspaper “The Guardian” writes that it has.
According to the document, Ukrainian authorities are also asking Western countries for long-range missiles to strike drone production centers in Iran and Syria (for production) and Russia (probably for assembly). The publication notes that Kiev’s partners are likely to ignore this request.
The 47-page document, handed over by the Ukrainian government to the G7 countries in August, showed that Russia had carried out more than 600 attacks on Ukrainian cities in the previous three months using drones loaded with Western components.
In “Shahed-131” (Shahed-131), for example, 52 electronic components manufactured by Western companies were found, and the model “Shahed-136” (Shahed-136) – 57 components. The second model can fly up to 2000 km and an optimal speed of 180 km/h.
London: Russia already uses its own version of Iran’s kamikaze drones
Five European companies are listed as their manufacturers, including the Polish division of a British company. There are companies with headquarters in the USA, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Japan and Poland.
The document does not allege that the companies have committed violations: Iran uses whatever components are available and which it can access without much scrutiny. Still, the case raises the question of how European components end up in Iran, even if the companies involved strictly comply with export controls. Ukraine cited “customs information” that said most of the Islamic Republic’s imports came from Turkey, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Costa Rica.
According to the text, by this time, Iran had already diversified the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, partially transferring their assembly to Russia, but continued to supply components for them. The Iranian government is trying to “distance itself from arms supplies to Russia” and “cannot cope with Russian demands and the intensity of drone use in Ukraine,” the document said.
“Spiegel”: Russia is negotiating with a Chinese manufacturer for “kamikaze drones”
The document, which the Guardian described as the most detailed analysis yet of Russian drone tactics since their first use in Kharkiv Oblast on September 13, also said Moscow temporarily suspended their use between November 17 and December 7 to adapt to the Ukrainian winter apparatus, which are otherwise adapted to a warm climate. According to the text, the drones are delivered to Russia via the Caspian Sea – between the ports of Ahmedabad (Iran) and Makhachkala (Russia).
The report contains confirmation that the Shahed markings were likely lasered off to accommodate the Russian Geran-1 and Geran-2.
