Russia Agreed to Supply Iran With 90 Helicopter-Mounted LMUR Missile Launchers
Russia agreed to supply Iran with 90 APU-L launchers for LMUR cruise missiles, according to documents reported by the Financial Times. The order is dated to 2024–2025, but the documents do not establish whether the launchers were delivered.
Key points
- The order covers 90 APU-L launchers for LMUR, also known as Izdelie 305 missiles.
- The Russian defence documents identify the buyer as “K-10,” a code Rosoboroneksport uses for Iran.
- The order is dated to 2024–2025.
- The documents do not confirm whether the launchers intended for Iran were delivered.
- APU-L systems are designed for Mi-28 attack helicopters and can carry two missiles each.
- Iran already possesses Russian Mi-28 helicopters.
- Russian forces are actively using LMUR missiles in Ukraine.
Why it matters
The agreement points to expanded Russian military support for Iran and follows other reported cooperation involving missiles, air-defence systems and information potentially relevant to nuclear weapons. Iran already has Mi-28 helicopters capable of carrying the launchers, making their integration into Iranian military capabilities possible. However, the unresolved delivery status means the agreement’s operational effect has not been established.
What happened
Russia agreed to supply Iran with 90 APU-L launchers for LMUR missiles, according to documents reported by the Financial Times. Russian defence documents identify the buyer as “K-10,” the code Rosoboroneksport uses for Iran, and date the order to 2024–2025. The documents do not confirm whether the launchers were delivered. APU-L systems are intended for Mi-28 attack helicopters and can carry two LMUR missiles each, while the related APU-305 system is designed for one missile. Iran already possesses Mi-28 helicopters and has incorporated them into its armed forces.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting places the agreement within the broader expansion of Russian-Iranian military cooperation following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It also emphasises that Russian forces actively use LMUR missiles in Ukraine and highlights alleged intelligence-sharing, including satellite data, as well as earlier reported cooperation on missile development, air defence and nuclear-weapons-related information.
How international sources describe it
The international coverage focuses on the documented purchase agreement, the military characteristics of the launchers and the unresolved question of delivery. It also contextualises the transaction through earlier Russian arms sales and military cooperation with Iran, and Iran’s possession of Mi-28 helicopters.
Background
The order for the 90 launchers is dated to 2024–2025, within a period of documented military cooperation that includes Russian assistance to Iran after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Earlier reports said Russia helped Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles, sold portable Verba air-defence systems and cooperated on information that could potentially be relevant to developing nuclear weapons. LMUR missiles are designed to strike moving targets and can be corrected by an operator during flight.