CNN —
A Russian cargo ship suspected of carrying Iranian ballistic missiles for Moscow’s war against Ukraine was seen at a Russian port on the Caspian Sea a week ago, satellite imagery shared with CNN shows.
The vessel – the Port Olya 3 – was identified by Maxar Technologies in satellite imagery taken on September 4 at Port Olya in Astrakhan. The ship had previously been in the Iranian port of Amirabad on August 29, according to ship tracking data. It turned off its transponder at some point after.
The US Treasury department assessed Tuesday that the Russian Ministry of Defense had “used the vessel Port Olya-3 to transport CRBMs from Iran to Russia.”
“As of early September 2024, Russia received the first shipment of CBRMs (close-range ballistic missiles) from Iran,” the Treasury said, as it announced sanctions on the Port Olya 3 along with other vessels and several Iranian individuals.
CNN reported last weekend that Iran had recently transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to use in the war against Ukraine, a significant escalation in Iran’s support for Russia.
The military relationship between Iran and Russia has grown closer since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Iran has supplied thousands of “Shahed” attack drones to Russia, and according to US officials, built a drone factory in Russia.
The satellite imagery surfaced the day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in London on Tuesday that the US believed the Russian military had received shipments of Iranian Fatah-360 ballistic missiles and “will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians.”
The Fateh-360 has a range of up to 75 miles (120 kilometers) and can carry a payload of 330 pounds (150 kilograms). While the payload is less than that of many Russian aerial bombs, it would be useful in targeting Ukrainian frontline positions from a considerable distance, and as a ballistic missile would be much harder to intercept.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has assessed that “Russian forces will likely use the Iranian-supplied missiles to target Ukrainian energy, military, and civilian infrastructure in the coming months.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi denied that the Islamic Republic had supplied ballistic missiles to Russia, posting on X: “Once again, US and E3 (UK, France and Germany) act on faulty intelligence and flawed logic, Iran has NOT delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. Period.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires, Shahriar Amouzegar, this week following the reports of ballistic missiles being sent to Russia. Amouzegar was warned of “devastating and irreparable consequences” for Ukrainian-Iranian relations if the reports were true.
Ukrainian officials contacted Wednesday by CNN declined further comment.
