Leaked defense industry documents reveal that Russia arranged to supply Iran with 90 launchers for advanced guided missiles. The documents, which were obtained by the Ukrainian private intelligence firm Dallas Analytics and shared with the Guardian, provide insight into the depth of military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
The records detail plans to supply Iran with launchers for the LMUR, a guided missile fired from attack helicopters. Russian forces have used these missiles extensively against Ukrainian targets since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
A production schedule created in May 2024 by Vympel, a leading Russian designer of missiles and launch systems, lists an order for 90 launchers under an export contract designated “K-10”. Deliveries for this contract were scheduled to occur between late 2024 and December 2025. While separate internal paperwork explicitly identifies K-10 as Iran, the records do not establish whether the launchers were ultimately delivered.
The files also include a separate production schedule listing six Yak-130 jet trainers destined for Iran in 2023, which is consistent with publicly reported deliveries of the aircraft.
The documents emerge as Washington considers its next steps in a war against Iran following the US midterm elections. Observers widely regard Moscow as one of the main winners of a prolonged war in Iran, noting that Russia has gained strategic and economic advantages. Specifically, Russia has benefited from increased global energy prices caused by shipping disruptions in the strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf. These higher oil revenues provide the Kremlin with additional funds for its war in Ukraine and may help ease pressure on Russia’s strained budget.
Furthermore, the war has diverted international attention and Western military resources away from Ukraine, which has further strained Kyiv’s access to US-made Patriot air defence interceptors.
These findings contrast with claims by Donald Trump, who has repeatedly downplayed Moscow’s support for Iran. Last month, the US president wrote that Russia was doing “very little, if anything” to help Tehran, stating he did not want to drive Moscow away from negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
However, European intelligence findings suggest Russia has provided Iran with key data and satellite images that could help it target US forces in the Middle East. European intelligence agencies have also warned that Moscow was preparing to supply Tehran with explosive-laden drones for use against the US and Israel.
Military cooperation between the two nations has expanded significantly since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, during which Tehran became a crucial supplier of Shahed attack drones. Russia has since begun manufacturing these drones domestically.
In 2025, the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement to counter shared threats, though it lacks the mutual defence commitments found in Russia’s security pact with North Korea. Senior Russian and Iranian officials held three high-level meetings in October alone, highlighting the growing importance of the relationship.
Moscow has been careful not to publicize its military cooperation with Tehran to avoid jeopardizing Putin’s relationship with Trump. Additionally, Russia faces constraints on weapon supplies as its military production is stretched by the war in Ukraine. In the May 2024 letter, Vympel warned that delays in supplying essential components threatened the assembly of missile launchers and risked disrupting Russian state defence contracts.
