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U.K. Defence Minister John Healey suggested connected Thursday (March 12, 2026) that Russia was influencing Iran’s usage of drone attacks successful its war with the United States and Israel.
Mr. Healey said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “hidden hand” whitethorn beryllium down immoderate of the tactics deployed by Tehran successful the struggle successful West Asia, which started erstwhile the United States and Israel struck Iran connected February 28.
Also read: West Asia warfare updates connected March 13, 2026
He told reporters that officials were analysing an Iranian-made drone that deed the U.K.’s Akrotiri aerial unit basal successful Cyprus connected March 1 “for immoderate grounds of Russian oregon immoderate different overseas components and parts”.
“We volition update you and appropriately people immoderate findings from that erstwhile we’ve got them,” helium said during a sojourn to Britain’s subject office successful Northwood, adjacent London.
“But I deliberation nary 1 volition beryllium amazed to judge that Putin’s hidden manus is down immoderate of the Iranian tactics, perchance immoderate of their capabilities arsenic well, not slightest due to the fact that 1 satellite person that is benefiting from the sky-high lipid prices astatine the infinitesimal is Putin,” helium added.
Russia is simply a adjacent state of Iran, with the 2 agreeing past twelvemonth to assistance each different antagonistic “common threats”.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday (March 7, 2026) helium had nary denotation Russia was supporting Iran successful the war, but that if they were, it was not “helping much”.
Nick Perry, the British military’s main of associated operations, told Healey determination were “definitively” signs of a nexus betwixt Russia and Iran, including Iran’s usage of drones “as learned from the Russians”.
No 1 was injured erstwhile the drone deed a hangar astatine Akrotiri. British warplanes changeable down a further 2 drones heading for the basal the aforesaid day.
Guy Foden, a brigadier successful the British Army, briefed Mr. Healey that U.K. troops based astatine a subject basal lodging planetary conjugation troops successful Erbil, Iraq, had helped sprout down 2 Iranian drones connected Wednesday (March 11, 2026).
