Iran sent instructors to the Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine to help the invaders work with Shahed-136 kamikaze drones.

The New York Times reported on this.

It is noted that the Iranian trainers are operating from a Russian military base in Crimea, where many of the drones were based since being delivered from Iran.

The media also emphasizes that the use of Iranian instructors indicates a deeper involvement from Iran in the war against Ukraine.

“Sending drones and trainers to Ukraine has enmeshed Iran deeply into the war on the Russian side and involved Tehran directly in operations that have killed and injured civilians,” said Mick Mulroy, a former senior Pentagon official and retired C.I.A. officer.

According to the media, the Russian Federation originally sent its personnel to Iran to undergo training. However, the Russian military is still making mistakes when using kamikaze drones, which makes them ineffective. Because of this, according to NYT sources, Iran sent its instructors to occupied Crimea.

It is emphasized that the Iranian personnel are far from the front lines. It is not clear whether the trainers are flying any of the drones themselves or are only conducting training.

At the same time, the United States believes that Russia using Iranian drones is a sign of the Western sanctions’ effectiveness. Russia has problems with the domestic production of weapons.

Previously, Reuters journalists reported that Iran and Russia have an agreement on the further supply of drones. In addition, the parties agreed on the supply of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.