White House says Iran sent personnel to Crimea to train Russians to use drones - CNN

Washington CNN  — 

The White House says Iranian subject unit person visited Crimea to assistance with Russian operations targeting civilian infrastructure successful Ukraine utilizing drones.

John Kirby, the communications coordinator astatine the National Security Council, said the beingness of Iranian unit was grounds of Tehran’s nonstop engagement successful the conflict.

“We tin corroborate that Russian subject unit that are based successful Crimea person been piloting Iranian UAVs, utilizing them to behaviour strikes crossed Ukraine, including strikes against Kyiv,” Kirby said, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles.

CNN previously reported that Iranian subject unit had been sent to Crimea to bid Russian forces.

“Iranian subject unit were connected the crushed successful Crimea and assisted with these operations,” helium said. “Russia has received dozens of UAVs truthful acold and volition apt proceed to person further shipments successful the future.”

The US has said earlier that Russia was obtaining drones from Iran, but has not antecedently disclosed that Iranian unit are connected the crushed assisting successful utilizing the weapons.

Kirby said it was a “relatively tiny number” of Iranian unit connected the ground.

“Tehran is present straight engaged connected the crushed and done the proviso of weapons that are impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure successful Ukraine, that are sidesplitting civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure successful Ukraine,” helium said.

He said the Russians weren’t acquainted with the usage of the drones, and needed assistance from the Iranian unit to usage them.

He said the US is present acrophobic that Russia is seeking to get further weapons, including surface-to-surface missiles, from Iran. He said Iran and Russia proceed to prevarication astir their partnership.

“They tin prevarication to the satellite but they surely can’t fell the facts,” helium said.