Russian Parts Found in Shahed Drone That Hit RAF Akrotiri Plus Pro

A Russian Kometa-B satellite navigation module has been recovered from the Iranian drone that struck RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on 1 March, providing physical evidence that Moscow is transferring battlefield-tested drone components to Tehran for use against US and allied targets in the Middle East.

The same Kometa-B anti-jamming module was first identified by Ukrainian air defences in December 2025, inside drones intercepted over Ukraine. Three months later, it appeared in the wreckage of a Shahed-type one-way attack (OWA) drone in Cyprus. British military intelligence sent the recovered components to a UK laboratory for further examination.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on 17 March that “we have clear evidence that Iranian Shaheds used in the region contain Russian components.” The Kometa-B discovery substantiates that claim with a forensic trail linking a specific Russian subsystem to a specific strike on a Western military installation.

The WSJ Report: Intelligence Sharing and Tactical Guidance

The Wall Street Journal reported on 17 March that Russia has been providing Iran with satellite imagery from the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), tactical guidance on Shahed drone employment – including wave sizes and optimal strike altitudes – and data on the locations of US facilities in the Middle East and those of Washington’s regional allies.

Sources cited by the WSJ, including a senior European intelligence officer, confirmed that Moscow has supplied Iran with modified Shahed components featuring improved communication, navigation, and targeting capabilities. These modifications were developed through Russia’s own use of the drones in Ukraine, where Moscow has deployed approximately 57,000 Shahed-type systems since 2022.