Oleg Davygora23:58, 29.05.25

Transferring gold provides additional anonymity as it bypasses traditional financial systems, leaving a limited digital footprint.

The Russian Federation paid Iran in gold for the Shahed drones it purchased. A report by the C4ADS research group, obtained by The Washington Post , describes the complex payment system used in the multimillion-dollar deal.

It is noted that in addition to the usual bank transfer, which, according to documents, was processed through a bank in the United Arab Emirates, Russia also supplied gold as part of the deal.

An excerpt from a contract between Russian drone maker Alabuga and sanctioned Iranian company Sahara Thunder details the delivery of gold bars worth a total of about $104 million.

“By using gold, the parties avoided the use of the US dollar, which may be in short supply or subject to sanctions by the US Treasury. Transferring gold also provides additional anonymity as it bypasses traditional financial systems, leaving a limited digital footprint,” the report said.

Importantly, Iranian corporate records show that within months of the imposition of US sanctions, Sahara Thunder began the process of being liquidated. It is likely that another entity will be created in its place.

The Russia-Iran drone partnership underscored the limits of global sanctions, the report said, as sanctioned actors adapt and others take their place. It noted:

“Only by understanding and adapting to these tactics can global stakeholders disrupt the activities of such actors.”

How Russia Modifies “Shaheds”

Russia has upgraded Iran’s Shahed-136 drones by adding 90-kilogram warheads, allowing them to do even more damage when they strike Ukrainian cities. The new combined warheads are being developed as two different models, but both weigh 90 kilograms. One is made in Russia, the other in Iran.

The Russian model, called the KOFZBCh, has cumulative, fragmentation, high explosive and incendiary effects, meaning it can destroy buildings, scatter deadly debris, cause fires and create a powerful shock wave. The Iranian version lacks incendiary capability, but still packs a powerful punch.

(c)UNIAN 2025