Several senior Russian missile experts have traveled to Iran in the past year as both countries strengthen their defense ties. Travel records show that seven Russian specialists flew from Moscow to Tehran on two occasions last year: April 24 and September 17.
Out of these seven experts, six were on official state business, indicated by their special passport numbers. All seven have high-ranking positions in the military. Two are colonels, two are lieutenant-colonels, and others are experts in air defense, artillery, and weapon development.
An Iranian defense official stated that Russian experts visited Iranian missile production facilities, including some in underground locations. Although it’s unclear exactly what they were doing, these visits occurred during a tense period for Iran, which was engaged in military exchanges with Israel.
Attempts to contact the Russian specialists were met with varied responses. Five of them denied visiting Iran or their military roles, while one did not comment, and another hung up.
Both Iran and Russia signed a significant military agreement last January. Their cooperation has already affected Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, notably with the deployment of Iranian-designed drones.
The information about these flights was provided to Reuters by a group of Iranian hackers opposing the government. They mentioned that the Russian experts traveled as VIPs.
The names, ranks, and backgrounds of these men show their capabilities in various military operations, from missile defense systems to advanced weapons research. One expert on the September flight was Sergei Yurchenko, who has also worked for the Russian military.
This collaboration between Russia and Iran highlights the ongoing military developments between the two nations amid rising tensions in the region.
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