Russia to Supply Iran With 90 Helicopter-Mounted Missile Launchers Used in Ukraine War

Russia is deepening its military cooperation with Iran, reportedly supplying Tehran with weapons systems used by Russian forces in their war against Ukraine, while US President Donald Trump continues to downplay Moscow’s military support for the Islamic Republic. The latest reported deal involves 90 helicopter-mounted launchers for precision-guided missiles widely used by the Russian military.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The Financial Times (FT) revealed the agreement on Nov. 5, citing internal documents from Russian defense manufacturer Vympel obtained by Ukrainian private intelligence firm Dallas Analytics. The documents include a 2024–2025 production plan attached to a May 2024 letter from Vympel. It lists an order for 90 APU-L launchers for a customer identified by the codename “K-10.” FT journalists established that Russia’s state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, uses the designation “K-10” for Iran. The same codename appears in other documents, including contracts for the delivery of Yak-130 combat training aircraft to Tehran. The APU-L launchers are designed to fire lightweight, multipurpose guided missiles known as the “Izdeliye 305” (Product 305), which can strike moving targets. They are mounted on Mi-28 attack helicopters, which Russia is also supplying to Iran. The documents do not, however, establish whether the 90 launchers have actually been delivered. Other Topics of Interest Finland Jails 2 Sailors Over Cable Damage The accused include a Russian and an Azeri sailor, and the court argues the crew intentionally dragged the anchor to damage the cable in late 2025. Russia and Iran deepen military cooperation The military partnership between Moscow and Tehran has expanded significantly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Iran initially became a key military supplier to Russia, providing Shahed attack drones that Russian forces have extensively used against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Moscow subsequently established domestic production of Iranian-designed drones under the Geran designation. Russia is now increasingly suspected of returning the favor by supplying Tehran with military equipment, intelligence and technological expertise. In March, US officials told The Washington Post that Russia had provided Iran with intelligence that could help it target American warships, aircraft and other military assets in the Middle East. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky subsequently said Russia had shared satellite intelligence on more than 50 Israeli energy infrastructure targets with Tehran. In May, The Economist also reported on a Russian military intelligence plan proposing the delivery of 5,000 advanced drones to Iran, including fiber-optic drones resistant to electronic jamming, as well as training for Iranian forces to use them against US military targets. It remains unclear whether the proposed deliveries were carried out. The two countries have also formalized their relationship. In January 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 20-year strategic partnership agreement covering military-technical cooperation, security, intelligence and economic ties. The agreement does not include a mutual defense clause. Trump downplays Russia’s support for Iran Despite Iran being a US adversary, President Donald Trump has repeatedly dismissed or downplayed allegations that Moscow is helping Tehran, even as reports of Russian military and intelligence assistance have mounted. On Oct. 13, Trump said he did not believe Russia or China were helping Iran at all, contradicting US intelligence assessments indicating that both countries had provided Tehran with military support, including satellite imagery and weapons components. “If they are, it’s at a very low level, but I don’t believe they are at all. They have too much to lose, and we would know about it, and know about it very fast,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. In July, Trump similarly dismissed allegations that Russia had shared satellite images of American military installations with Iran after Zelensky raised the issue. “Well, we’ll find out if that’s true. I’ll ask Putin about it. But even if they did, it had no impact whatsoever,” Trump told reporters, questioning whether such cooperation could meaningfully strengthen Iran’s military capabilities. The allegations have also become a potential bargaining chip in Washington’s negotiations with Moscow. In March, Russia reportedly offered to stop sharing intelligence with Iran if the US ended its intelligence support for Ukraine. According to Politico, Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev made the proposal to Trump administration representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during a meeting in Miami. Washington rejected the offer. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.