British Defense Secretary John Healey believes Russia is involved in how Iran used its Shahed attack drones in the war with the United States and Israel, The Guardian wrote on March 12.
“I don’t think anyone will be surprised to learn that Putin’s hidden hand is behind some of Iran’s tactics and perhaps some of its weapons as well,” Healey told reporters after listening to British military briefings in London.
Lt. Gen. Nick Perry told Haley that Russia appears to have provided tactical guidance on controlling drones to Iran and its allies.
Iranian drone operators “flyed them at much lower altitudes” and were therefore more effective at hitting targets, which “proved to be a problem,” Perry said.
John Healey told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin has become “the only world leader who now benefits from skyrocketing oil prices” because they allow him to raise money to wage a “brutal war in Ukraine.”
Haley became one of the first senior European officials to publicly announce that Russia was involved in Iranian strikes in the Middle East. Earlier, a Western intelligence source spoke to CNN about this unofficially.
US intelligence believes that Russia provided Iran with data on targets for attacks on US military targets in the Middle East, the Washington Post wrote, citing sources. Moscow reported that they did not do so. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said he was ready to take Russia’s words seriously.
Shahed attack drones were developed in Iran. After the outbreak of a large-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, Iran transferred the development of drones to Russia. The Russian Armed Forces use “Shahed” missiles almost daily to strike Ukraine.