The White House says it believes Russia is turning to Iran to provide it with "hundreds" of unmanned aerial vehicles, including weapons-capable drones, for use in its ongoing war in Ukraine.
US National Security adviser Jake Sullivan said it was unclear whether Iran had already provided any of the unmanned systems to Russia, but said the US has "information" that indicates Iran is preparing to train Russian forces to use them as soon as this month.
"Our information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline," he told reporters.
Sullivan said it was proof that Russia's overwhelming bombardments in Ukraine, which have led it to consolidate gains in the country's east in recent weeks, was "coming at a cost to the sustainment of its own weapons".
