Iranians in Crimea training Russians to use kamikaze drones: report

IRGC troops reportedly providing operational support to Russian troops in Crimea, instructing them on how to use Shahed-136 drones.

By World Israel News Staff

Members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are on the ground in Crimea training Russian troops how to operate their “kamikaze” drones, according to a recent report from the New York Times.

The IRGC, which is considered to be a terrorist organization by the U.S., is offering operational support to the Russian military by instructing them on how to use the Iranian drones within the territory of Crimea, but the Times report stressed that it is unlikely that Iranian personnel are on the front lines of the conflict.

Moscow reportedly sent senior Russian military officials to Iran to learn how to use the drones, but after being plagued with a series of malfunctions, Iran offered to provide support on the ground.

The Shahed-136 drones, which are used for air to surface attacks, are primitive and not always accurate, but are highly effective due to their relatively low price point and availability.

The drones have proved an effective tool for Russia in attacks against Ukraine, because the potential loss of one of the small UAVs has significantly less impact than the loss of an expensive plane and pilot.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had destroyed a staggering 30 percent of Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure and power stations in just a week, much of it done via the Shahed-136 drones.

In a separate report, the Washington Post said that U.S. officials had revealed that Iran is planning to provide Russia with “surface-to-surface” missiles.

The efficiency of the drones has also raised concerns within Israel. Defense officials are preparing for the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group, which acts as a proxy group for Iran, to use the drones in a future conflict with Israel.

According to a report from Kan News, Israel is deploying additional Iron Dome missile defense system batteries in the north as a precaution against this potential scenario.