Iran to send Russia short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reports

Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.

The Fath-360 has a range of 75 miles (120 kilometers), providing Russian forces with additional means to strike Ukrainian front-line positions, military sites, and population centers near the border.

The Western security and regional officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the delivery of the launchers was "imminent."

Iran has emerged as a key ally of Russia in its war against Ukraine, supplying Moscow with kamikaze drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified a strategic partnership with Iran on April 21, committing to strengthen bilateral ties across key sectors and pledging not to support any third party engaged in conflict with the other.

Alongside Iran, North Korea has also served as Russia's ally in the war, providing not only soldiers but also artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and other supplies.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un called the soldiers who fought alongside the Russian military in Russia's Kursk Oblast "heroes" and "representatives of the nation's honor," North Korean state media reported on May 10.