Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Iran has become one of Moscow’s most critical enablers, supplying drones, missiles, and expertise that have fueled devastating attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. Iran’s Shahed-136 drones—rebranded as Geran-2 by Russia—have become a cornerstone of Moscow’s strategy to terrorize Ukrainian cities.
Israel’s high-stakes airstrike on June 13 eliminated Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of Iran’s IRGC Aerospace Force and a key facilitator of the Shahed drone transfers to Russia—drones that have battered Ukrainian cities since 2022. Hajizadeh, sanctioned by the EU and U.S. in 2022, oversaw the export of hundreds of Iranian-made Shahed loitering munitions—dubbed “Geran‑2” in Russian service—used extensively in attacks on Kyiv, Kharkiv, and other urban centers.
Iranian General Who Empowered Russia’s Drone Programs Killed in Israeli Strike Read Post »
With deceptive offers of “jobs in the technology field”, Russia’s government has been using slick social media tricks to lure thousands of 18-22 year old women from impoverished African nations to Russia, that are then forced into assembling Shahed drones. According to Bloomberg, Russia is actively sourcing labor from over 40 countries to help assemble deadly Shahed-136 kamikaze drones used against Ukrainian civilians and soldiers. One major recruitment hub is Botswana.
Moscow lures young African women to Russia to assemble drones Read Post »
Ukraine continues to strike deep into the heart of Russia’s war machine, today with a near distance record, hitting their main drone assembly manufacturing base. According to local Russian reports, the facility-in-question is located in Elabuga, Tatarstan. That’s roughly 1110 km from the Ukrainian border in the north-east. It is said to produce copies of Iran-made Shaheds that the Russians have rebranded to “Geran-2”.
