“Our info signifies that the Iranian authorities is getting ready to offer Russia with as much as a number of hundred [unmanned aerial vehicles], together with weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline,” Sullivan mentioned. “It’s unclear whether or not Iran has delivered any of those UAVs to Russia already.”
Iran will practice Russian forces to make use of the drones as early as this month, he added.
“This is only one instance of how Russia is seeking to nations like Iran for capabilities that … have been used earlier than we received the ceasefire in place in Yemen to assault Saudi Arabia,” Sullivan mentioned.
“We are going to proceed to do our half to assist maintain the efficient protection of Ukraine and to assist the Ukrainians present that the Russian effort to attempt to wipe Ukraine off the map can’t succeed.”
Russian troops might be educated to make use of the know-how shortly, mentioned Michael Kofman, a analysis program director within the Russia Research Program on the Middle for Naval Analyses. However with out particular data concerning the drones, it’s tough to realize a precise timeline.
“Russian forces have been dropping reconnaissance drones in giant numbers. Their very own manufacturing capability for armed drones continues to be nascent,” Kofman mentioned. “They might be thinking about Iranian loitering munitions or [combat drones]. That is one space the place Iran might have extra capability.”
Shopping for drones from Iran indicators that Russia is determined, missing selections due to financial isolation, in accordance with a U.S. official aware of the state of affairs. They reiterated Sullivan’s classification of the variety of drones, calling it a “substantial” quantity.
“It’s legit,” the official mentioned of the drone transaction. “We haven’t been sitting on it. Each time we declassify intel, we’re attempting to win within the info house.”
For the reason that warfare started in February, the U.S. has allotted tens of billions of {dollars} to help Ukraine with weapons, ammunition and humanitarian assist.
Ukrainian leaders have been in “near-daily contact” with U.S. army and political leaders relating to the nation’s protection and the way to reclaim territory taken by Russia, Sullivan mentioned.
“The elemental objective of our technique is to place the Ukrainians in as robust a place as attainable on the battlefield, so they’re in as robust a place as attainable on the negotiating desk when diplomacy comes,” he mentioned.
Sullivan made the feedback forward of President Joe Biden’s journey to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week, the place Iran will likely be one of many main points on the agenda.
Christopher Miller and Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
