Iran’s Alleged Arms for Russia’s Ukraine Invasion: The Secret Cargo Ship Journey
A security source asserts that ships flying the Russian flag transported millions of bullets and tens of thousands of shells from Iran to Russia.
GossipA-Z has learned from a security source that Iran has secretly supplied Russia with large quantities of bullets, rockets, and mortar shells for the Ukraine conflict and plans to send additional supplies.
The source claimed that two Russian-flagged cargo ships carrying approximately 100 million bullets and 300,000 shells departed an Iranian port in January for Russia via the Caspian Sea.
Allegedly, rocket launchers, mortar, and machine gun ammunition were included in the shipments.
The source stated that Moscow paid in cash for the ammunition.
It was impossible to independently confirm the alleged amount of military assistance. One expert warned that the amount seemed excessive.
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However, GossipA-Z has learned that Iran is suspected of shipping a quantity of ammunition to Russia to help replenish its stocks on the Ukrainian frontline.
After over a year of President Putin’s all-out war, it is believed that Russian supplies are running low.
The alleged assistance is in addition to previous allegations that Tehran supplied Moscow with hundreds of lethal drones that were used in attempts to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“Russia continues to use Iran as an area base,'” a security source said, referring to the countries’ close military ties.
Western and Ukrainian officials have also warned that Iran may provide far more lethal ballistic missiles, but there is currently no evidence that this is occurring.
In addition to Iran’s support, western capitals are growing increasingly concerned about the possibility of China supplying Russia with arms, a move that the United States has warned would have “severe consequences” for Beijing. China has refuted the allegations.
“Secret” cargo vessels
The two general cargo ships allegedly involved in the transfer of ammunition from Iran to Russia were named the Musa Jalil and the Begey, according to a security source.
Both vessels are flying the Russian flag.
GossipA-Z has reached out to the Russian owner of the ships for comment on the allegations but has not yet received a response.
Iran’s Alleged Arms for Russia’s Ukraine Invasion: The Secret Cargo Ship Journey. The Russian Ministry of Defense and the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have also not responded to a request for comment.
According to the source, one of the ships is believed to have left Iran on January 10 and the other on January 12.
According to the source, the two vessels were believed to be carrying approximately 200 shipping containers filled with weapons.
The source expressed confidence in their estimation of the quantity of ammunition being transported.
The source added, “two hundred containers on two ships are capable of transporting this quantity of munitions.”
What the marine tracking information reveals
The Data & Forensics Unit of Sky News supported the general claim regarding the movement of the ships, albeit with slightly different dates.
It was impossible to independently confirm what the vessels were transporting.
On January 9, the maritime shipping tracker Marine Traffic located the two vessels at the Iranian port of Amirabad on the Caspian Sea. The following day’s satellite imagery obtained by GossipA-Z News reveals that at least one of the ships is still at the port.
The Musa Jalil and the Begey both departed the port around 10 a.m. local time on 10 January, according to the maritime tracking data.
According to tracking data, both ships stop off the coast of Turkmenistan for a few days on January 12. It is unknown why this is occurring.
The Musa Jalil and the Begey crossed the Caspian Sea and arrived in the Russian port of Astrakhan on January 27. According to tracking data, they remained at the port for several days before departing on February 3rd.
The security source did not confirm which Iranian port the two ships departed from or which Russian port they arrived at.
The source confirmed that the ships reached Russia by way of the Caspian Sea.
“Iran dispatched two cargo ships to the combat zone in Ukraine, carrying approximately 200 brand-new shipping containers filled with ammunition for the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine,” a security source said.
What is in the freight?
According to the source, the alleged shipment included approximately 100 million bullets of various calibers – 5.56mm, 7.62mm, 9mm, 12.7mm, and 14.5mm – for use in pistols, assault rifles, and machine guns.
Approximately 300,000 shells, including 40mm grenades for grenade launchers, 107mm anti-tank rockets, and mortar shells of various sizes – 60mm, 81mm, and 120mm – as well as artillery rockets (130mm, 122mm, and 152mm) and armor shells, were also aboard the ships, according to the source (115mm and 125mm).
In addition, according to the source, there were approximately 10,000 flak jackets and helmets on board.
“By paying for the ammunition in cash, Russia circumvents western sanctions and disregards sanctions against Iran,” the source added.
Iran has taken the “wrong side of history.”
When asked about the allegations, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom stated that he was not surprised that Iran was allegedly supplying Russia with ammunition and that he expected more of the same, but he urged the Islamic Republic to stop being on the “wrong side of history.”
Vadym Prystaiko told GossipA-Z News that Russia’s request for assistance from what he termed a “coalition of weak nations” such as Iran and North Korea highlighted the difficulties it was facing on the battlefield, having exhausted its own munitions stocks against Ukrainian forces.
The level of artillery fire in Ukraine has not been seen since the Korean War, putting pressure on both sides’ supply lines.
According to a Ukrainian brigadier, the Russian military fires between 60,000 and 70,000 artillery shells per day.
US officials estimate the daily maximum at 20,000.
Both Ukraine and the United States have reported that the level has decreased due to dwindling supplies.
“They’re running out of resources, which is great news for the Ukrainian armed forces,” the Ukrainian ambassador said in an interview at the Ukrainian embassy in London.
The envoy stated that western sanctions hurt Russia’s ability to use its defense industry to replenish stocks quickly, but that additional work was required to close other routes.
Mr. Prystaiko stated, “We must continue to actively pursue the Iranians and the rest of these regimes to stop their supply to the Russians to fuel this war in Ukraine.”
General Sir Richard Barrons, a former senior British military officer, stated that 300,000 Iranian shells, while advantageous for Russia, would not last long given the rate of fire.
In contrast, if China decided to make its vast arsenal of munitions available to President Putin’s military machine, it would be “extremely, extremely difficult for Ukraine,” he said.
