Russia Supplying Drones to Iran as War Continues, European Intelligence Finds

Mar 26, 2026

European intelligence agencies report Russia is completing shipments of drones, medicine, and food to Iran as Tehran fights a war with the US and Israel, though Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denies the Financial Times report as lies. The allegations emerge as a Russian delegation visits the United States for the first time since relations deteriorated over Ukraine, where US-brokered peace talks remain frozen after multiple failed negotiation rounds since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025. Russia launched one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine this week with 948 drones in 24 hours while the Kremlin rules out compromises to halt its offensive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that Ukraine faces an air defence missile deficit as Washington focuses on Iran, following failed Florida talks that produced no security guarantee for Kyiv.

Russian-US diplomatic engagement amid Ukraine war

▪The Kremlin ruled out compromises to halt Russia's offensive in Ukraine as of March 2026.
▪Russian President Vladimir Putin set the main directives for the Russian delegation's trip to the United States.
▪Several rounds of negotiations since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025 have failed to break the deadlock on ending the Ukraine war.
▪US-brokered talks seeking a deal to end the war in Ukraine are in effect frozen as of March 2026.
▪A delegation of Russian officials arrived in the United States on Thursday, March 26, 2026, for meetings with American counterparts.
▪Talks between Ukraine and the United States that opened in Florida on Saturday failed to produce a security guarantee that Kyiv has long sought from Washington.
▪The Russian delegation's visit to the United States marks the first such trip since relations strained over Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Allegations of Russian drone supplies to Iran

▪Western intelligence officials cited Russia as one of the backers of the Iranian government as Tehran fights a war launched by the US and Israel.
▪Iran is fighting a war launched by the US and Israel as of March 2026.
▪The Financial Times newspaper reported on Wednesday that Russia was close to completing a shipment of drones to Iran.

Escalating military operations in Ukraine

▪Russia moved troops and equipment to the front line in Ukraine during the week of March 2026.
▪Ukraine will face a deficit of air defence missiles while Washington is focused on the US-Israeli war on Iran, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
▪Russia carried out one of the largest aerial attacks since the start of its war on Ukraine this week in March 2026, launching 948 drones in 24 hours.
▪Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a new appeal for allies to supply Kyiv with air defence munitions in March 2026.

Perspective of Kremlin

▪The Kremlin views the Russian delegation's visit to the United States as a diplomatic engagement despite strained relations over Ukraine.
▪Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov characterized the Financial Times report about Russian drone shipments to Iran as lies.

Perspective of Ukraine

▪Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy views Washington's focus on the US-Israeli war on Iran as creating a deficit in air defence missiles for Ukraine.