The head of the Russian bank VTB could finance the construction of a plant for the production of Iranian drones
The enterprise may be launched early next year
The head of VTB Bank, Andrei Kostin, may have participated in the creation of a plant for the production of Iranian Shahed drones in Russia. This was reported by Russian media, cited by moscowtimes.eu.
The plant is being built on the territory of the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan. The project to build a plant for assembling Iranian drones was supposed to be financed in the amount of 80 billion rubles (over $640 million).
Only 30 billion was provided from the budget, and Alabuga had to find the rest on its own. Part of it could have been paid by Kostin, the sources said. The involvement of the head of Russia's second-largest bank by assets in the project may be evidenced by VTB's launch of a money transfer service to Iran in December 2022 and the opening of a bank office in the country, which became known in May 2023.
The sources said they had seen the contract signed between Russia and Iran, signed by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The deal was worth 115-130 billion rubles. The agreement provided for the supply of components for drones, the transfer of the necessary documentation by the Iranian side, and training of Alabuga specialists at Iranian production facilities.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that Moscow and Tehran had agreed to set up a plant for the production of Iranian drones in Russia. According to US intelligence, the construction of the plant has already begun, and the enterprise could be launched early next year.
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