Iran secretly provides Russia with large number of rounds, artillery and mortar bombs
Iran has secretly supplied large quantities of bullets, rockets and mortar bombs to Russia for the war in Ukraine and plans to send more.
This was reported by the British TV channel Sky News, with reference to a source in secret services, writes European Pravda.
The source claims that two Russian-flagged cargo ships headed to Russia via the Caspian Sea; they left an Iranian port in January.
The alleged cargo consisted of approximately 100 million rounds of ammunition of various calibres, such as 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, 9 mm, 12.7 mm and 14.5 mm, for use in weapons such as pistols, assault rifles and machine guns.
According to the source, the ships were also carrying a range of other ammunition, the source said, including approximately 300,000 shells, such as 40 mm grenades for grenade launchers, 107 mm anti-tank rockets, and mortar bombs of various calibres – 60 mm, 81 mm and 120 mm – as well as rockets for multiple-launch rocket systems (130 mm, 122 mm and 152 mm) and armour penetration shells (115 mm and 125 mm).
In addition, the source said there were also about 10,000 flak jackets and helmets on board these ships.
The source noted that Moscow paid for the ammunition in cash and thus circumvented Western sanctions against itself and Iran.
The ships which probably took part in the transportation of cargo are named Musa Jalil and Begey, both sailing under the Russian flag. One of the ships left Iran around 10 January, the source said, and the other one around 12 January. They had approximately 200 containers on board.
The source insists he is confident in his estimate of the amount of ammunition being carried by the ships. "Two hundred containers on two ships are capable of transporting this amount of ammunition," he said.
It was not possible to independently check what exactly the ships were transporting.
The new "aid" adds to previous accusations against Tehran that it provided Moscow with hundreds of deadly drones that played a critical role in attempts to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
"Russia continues to use Iran as a 'rear base'," said the source in the secret services, describing the close military ties between the two countries.
Western and Ukrainian officials have also expressed their concern that Iran could supply the Russian Federation with much more lethal ballistic missiles, but there is no evidence of this yet.
According to mass media, Russia concluded a secret agreement with Iran on the return of enriched uranium exported within the framework of the "nuclear agreement" of 2015.
Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!