Documents Reveal Moscow's Arrangement to Supply Iran with Advanced Guided Missile Launchers
Leaked documents from the Russian defense industry reveal that Moscow has arranged to supply Iran with 90 advanced guided missile launchers designed for helicopters. The documents, obtained by a Ukrainian private intelligence company, detail plans to deliver "LMUR" guided missile launchers, widely used by Russian forces against targets in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. A production schedule prepared by a missile design company in May 2024 requests the supply of 90 launch platforms under an export contract coded "K-10," with delivery dates set between late 2024 and December 2025. Separate internal documents explicitly identify Iran as the intended recipient. Records do not confirm whether the launchers have already been delivered, but a separate production schedule includes six Yak-130 jet trainer aircraft allocated to Iran in 2023, consistent with previous reports of deliveries. This information emerges as Washington considers its next steps in the conflict with Iran following the U.S. midterm elections, while analysts observe that Moscow benefits strategically and economically from prolonging the conflict. Russia has profited from global energy price increases due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy facilities, providing additional resources to fund the war in Ukraine and easing budgetary pressures. The war has also shifted Western military focus and resources away from Ukraine, increasing pressure on Kyiv’s ability to obtain U.S.-made interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems. Former U.S. President downplayed Russia’s support to Iran, suggesting Moscow does little to assist Tehran, a stance contradicted by European intelligence reports indicating Russia has supplied Iran with critical data and satellite imagery aiding attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East. European intelligence agencies have also warned that Moscow is preparing to provide Tehran with explosive-laden drones for use against the United States and Israel. Military cooperation between Russia and Iran has expanded significantly since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Tehran becoming a major supplier of Shahed attack drones, which Russia later began producing domestically. Moscow has denied reports of supplying Iran with military equipment for use in the current conflict, despite signing a 2025 strategic partnership agreement addressing shared threats but lacking mutual defense commitments. Nonetheless, Tehran and Moscow have maintained close ties recently, holding three high-level meetings in October alone, highlighting the growing importance of their relationship. Moscow seeks to keep its military cooperation with Tehran discreet to avoid jeopardizing relations with the United States and faces constraints in arming Iran due to pressures on its defense industry from the Ukraine war. The leaked documents reveal challenges within Russia’s defense industry, with the company "Vimpel" warning in a May 2024 letter that delays in supplying key components threaten the assembly of missile launch platforms and could disrupt Russian government defense contracts.
