Moscow and Tehran are deepening their military ties, with leaked internal documents revealing that Russia agreed to supply Iran with 90 precision-guided missile launchers designed for attack helicopters.

The procurement contracts and production schedules, recently surfaced through investigative reports by the Financial Times and The Guardian, highlight ongoing defense cooperation between the two nations amid broader geopolitical tensions.

Internal Files Detail the 'K-10' Code and Deliveries

According to internal records from Vympel, a Russian missile and launcher developer, a production schedule drafted in May 2024 listed an order for 90 APU-L missile launchers destined for Iran, designated under the covert code "K-10." The delivery window was scheduled between late 2024 and December 2025.

The documents were initially obtained by Dallas Analytics, a Ukraine-based private intelligence and data analysis firm. Sources and related documents confirmed that Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms exporter, utilizes the K-10 code specifically to refer to Iran.

Additional records reviewed by the Financial Times also showed that the purchase of Russian Yak-130 training aircraft was tied to the same K-10 code. Rostec, a state-owned defense conglomerate, outlined plans to deliver six Yak-130 trainers to Iran, with Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data confirming that all six aircraft were fully delivered by the end of 2024.

The leaked correspondence also points to strains within Russia's defense manufacturing sector. In May 2024, Vympel urged KBM, a fellow Russian defense contractor, to expedite the delivery of critical components required for the missile launchers, warning that delays could jeopardize nine distinct contracts. The accompanying schedule noted orders from seven domestic Russian buyers and two international clients: China ordered 192 APU-305 launchers, while Iran ordered 90 APU-L units, though it remains unverified whether the Iranian shipment has physically arrived.

Equipping Attack Helicopters for Precision Strikes

The APU-L launcher is primarily integrated into the Russian-made Mi-28 attack helicopter. It can carry up to two lightweight multi-role guided missiles—commonly known as the LMUR or Izdeliye 305—which have seen extensive combat usage by Russian forces in the Ukraine war.

The LMUR system allows operators to adjust targeting mid-flight, enabling precise strikes against moving or small targets. Traveling at speeds of roughly 230 meters per second, the missile can reach targets up to 14 kilometers away in about a minute. Russia first unveiled the weapon in 2021 and has deployed it actively since 2022.

Iran has similarly integrated the Mi-28 platform into its own military inventory. Iranian defense officials confirmed the finalization of the helicopter procurement process in late 2023, and photographic evidence of a Mi-28 spotted at a Tehran aviation facility emerged online in January 2025.

Broader Implications Amid Middle East and Ukraine Tensions

The revelation underscores the steady consolidation of the Moscow-Tehran military axis, which has intensified since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Previously, Iran supplied Shahed-type loitering munitions to Russia—production of which was subsequently localized within Russia—and the two countries later signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement featuring mutual defense commitments.

European intelligence agencies have reportedly noted instances of Russia sharing satellite imagery and intelligence with Iran, which could potentially aid operations targeting U.S. forces in the Middle East. Concerns have also been raised regarding potential Russian assistance in supplying advanced military hardware.

While Moscow officially denies supplying combat-ready military hardware to Iran in the context of ongoing conflicts, and international leaders have debated the extent of active Russian military backing, defense analysts suggest a calculated approach.

Nicole Grajewski, a non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, noted that the order demonstrates Russia's willingness to sustain arms exports to Iran despite domestic wartime demands, showing a reduced hesitation toward Western backlashes. Conversely, Other experts like Hannah Notte, director of the Eurasia program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, point out that Moscow continues to calibrate its support levels to manage diplomatic relationships with the U.S. and regional Middle Eastern powers, meaning the aid serves as tactical enhancement rather than a war-altering shift.

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