The Iranian drone that hit a British airbase in Cyprus was equipped with Russian military hardware, it has been reported.
RAF Akrotiri was struck by an Iranian drone fired from Lebanon on Sunday, and it is understood to have contained a Russian-made Kometa-B navigation system.
The piece of technology was first seen in drones that were intercepted by Ukrainian air defences in December.
Components of the drone recovered by the British military intelligence have now been sent to a laboratory in the UK for further investigation, The Times reports.
Despite the discovery, which is the first evidence that Russian military equipment is being used in the Iran conflict, US President Donald Trump says he has received ‘no indication’ that Russia is assisting Iran.
He added: ‘If they are, they’re not doing a very good job, because Iran is not doing too well.’
It comes after sources claimed that Russia is providing Iran with intelligence on the location of US military assets, including warships and aircraft in the Middle East.
Three officials familiar with the intelligence said the assistance had been ongoing since the war began on Saturday.
RAF Akrotiri was struck by an Iranian drone fired from Lebanon on Sunday, and it is understood to have contained a Russian-made Kometa-B navigation system
The piece of technology was first seen in drones that were intercepted by Ukrainian air defences in December. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin
One source told The Washington Post the alleged Russian support amounted to a ‘pretty comprehensive effort’ to help its ally Tehran target American forces in the region.
On Saturday, Andrey Kelin, Russia’s ambassador to the UK, told Sky New that his country is ‘not neutral’ in the ongoing conflict, adding that Moscow’s position was ‘supportive to Iran’.
Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of the defence staff, said he had ‘no doubt’ that Russia had been sharing intelligence with Iran.
The head of the British armed forces also confirmed on Saturday that the attack on the airbase was launched from Lebanon by an ‘Iranian-aligned group’.
Concerns have since been raised that British military assets, including two Wildcat helicopters that arrived in Cyprus on Friday, could be targeted.
The UK was preparing to deploy HMS Prince of Wales, one of its two aircraft carriers, to the Middle East, but Trump has since told Sir Keir Starmer that the US does not need Britain to send its aircraft carriers.
Trump appeared to tell Sir Keir not to send British aircraft carriers to the Middle East, with HMS Prince of Wales currently docked in Portsmouth, undergoing repairs and maintenance.
The £3billion warship carries F-35 fighter jets and would be deployed alongside an escort of other vessels and a submarine if sent to the region.
The Ministry of Defence said it was increasing the preparedness of HMS Prince of Wales and reducing the time it would take to set sail, but that no decisions have been taken to deploy the warship.
Sir Keir has faced a growing chorus of criticism from allies in the Middle East over the lack of preparations that led to Cyprus looking for military support from France, Italy and Spain – rather than Britain – after RAF Akrotiri on the island was hit by an Iranian drone.
RAF Akrotiri was targeted on Sunday night and again on Monday, after Sir Keir eventually gave America the green light to use joint US/UK bases, more than 24 hours after Washington began its operation by taking out Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Prime Minister has also been criticised for initially denying permission to let the US use British bases in its strikes on the Iranian regime.
He made a partial U-turn on Sunday, saying US jets would be able to fly from British bases for the ‘limited’ objective of destroying Iranian missile launchers and stockpiles.
Trump said the PM took ‘far too long’ to lift the ban on US forces flying from RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia.
Sir Keir only announced the deployment of HMS Dragon more three days after the conflict began, and the Type 45 destroyer is not due to leave Portsmouth until next week, as it still needs to be loaded with missiles, crewed for the deployment, and last-minute maintenance needs to take place.
The UK was preparing to deploy HMS Prince of Wales (pictured), one of its two aircraft carriers, to the Middle East, but Trump has since told Sir Keir Starmer that the US does not need Britain to send its aircraft carriers
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch meanwhile accused the Prime Minister of being ‘too scared to make foreign interventions’ and said the UK is ‘in this war whether Keir Starmer likes it or not’ in a speech on Saturday.
Sir Keir has defended his decision not to permit the US to use British bases in the opening assault against the Tehran regime, suggesting it could have been unlawful and arguing the Government must keep a ‘cool head’.
The Prime Minister agreed on Sunday to allow the US to strike Iran defensively from Fairford and Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Sir Keir said at moments like this the country needs ‘seriousness, not political games’.
He said: ‘While opposition parties seek to undermine Britain on the world stage, my Labour Government is focused on protecting British people at home and abroad.’
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the US started using British bases for ‘specific defensive operations to prevent Iran firing missiles into the region’ after American bombers landed at a Gloucestershire base.
A first 146ft B-1 Lancer arrived at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Friday evening and three more followed on Saturday morning.
A Merlin helicopter is also being sent to the region to help with surveillance from the air and RAF Typhoon and F-35 jets are continuing air operations over Jordan, Qatar and Cyprus.
Iran has continued to launch missiles and drones at targets across the Gulf despite an earlier apology from President Masoud Pezeshkian, referring to previous strikes, adding the country will ‘no longer attack neighboring countries or launch missiles unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries.’
President Trump says he may ‘possibly’ deploy US troops on the ground into Iran, but there would need to be a ‘very good reason.’
Asked on Air Force One about reports that he is ‘seriously considering’ sending US soldiers into Iran, Trump initially brushed off the question, saying he didn’t think it was ‘appropriate.’
‘I don’t even want to talk about it now,’ he said.
‘You know, I’m not going to answer it. Could there be? Possibly, for very good reason, have to be very good reason.
‘I would say if we ever did that they would be so decimated that they wouldn’t be able to fight at the ground level.’
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ‘certain’ that Iran was receiving arms from Russia.
He said: ‘I think all of this is found in the fragments of the Shaheds striking the Middle East today. Iranian Shaheds contain Russian-made components. This is something we know for certain.’
Iran first began supplying Russia with drones in 2022, which have been used in the daily strikes on Ukrainian cities.
British defence intelligence understands Russia sent 55,000 one-way attack drones into Ukraine last year.
Almost 600 civilians are believed to have been killed in drone attacks across Ukraine last year.
