Russia: International sponsor of authoritarianism
Since December 28th 2025 mass protests have been erupting in Iran over the worsening economic situation, to which Iranian government responded with an internet shutdown, brutal force, gunfire directed at protestors largest massacres in recent Iranian history, civilian death toll in the thousands. Nicole Grajewski for Foreign Policy[1] writes that Russia is supplying the Iranian regime with military equipment and technology that are being deployed against the demonstrators.
Russo-Iranian strategic partnership treaty[2] declares military-technological collaboration, mutual personnel training, experience and intel exchange, including that related to “Internet and information-communication technologies” and agree to “counteract the spread of inaccurate socially significant information, threatening national security of one of the parties” and “prevent foreign interventions and destabilizing presence in … and Middle East” which Iranian government was quick to accuse USA and Israel, ascribing to them blame for the protests[4]. Agreement also mandates Russia to not provide any aid to those countries and to apply it’s power in UN to shield the regime. This partnership has previously provided has provided Iran with automatic riffles, missiles, military helicopters and, relevantly, armored vehicles optimized for urban operations.
Half a year after the previous wave of mass protests in 2023, caused by murder of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian delegation went on a tour of various Russian military manufacturers, importantly including NIIIPH FNPC JSC[3], a pyrotechnics developer, interested in “non-lethal means”, such as tasers and flash grenades, to be used for suppression of future protests.
Russian military companies visited
by Iranian delegation[3]
Recently, in December 2025 and January 2026, at height of Iranian protests, several Russian and Belarussian Il-76 heavy military transport aircraft have landed in Tehran, expected to be carrying tools for suppression of any resistance to the regime.
Current Internet shutdown in Iran follows the Russian censorship model, rather than cut connection altogether, it kept governmental websites, banking services and state-approved domestic infrastructure functioning, targeting anything with international access. Russia has previously supplied Iran with surveillance, satellite and GPS-jamming, anti-VPN and anti-encryption technologies and has collaborated with Iranian mobile providers in surveillance field.
Such cooperation isn’t a new occurrence but a continuation of a history of mutual regime reinforcement between Russia and Iran. Russia has ignored Iranian protests in the 90s, met by Iranian silence regarding Chechen wars. By 2009 Russia legitimized a disputed presidential election in Iran, and since 2017 has been suspected of aiding Iranian dissent suppression with internet censorship methods mirroring ones Russian special services deployed at home[5]. All these mechanisms were utilized during 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, The White House accused Iran of advising Iran on protest suppression[6], which were later revealed to go beyond consulting, including provision of cyber weapons[7][6].
Intelligence exchange was established by late 90s, turning codified with 2013-2014 Law on Cooperation, stating “The Parties shall also cooperate in the following areas: maintenance of public order and provision of public security”, and escalating into Russia-Iran cooperation on internal security signed in 2021. The latest instalment of the treaty is the 20-year strategic partnership signed in January 2025[2].
Russia’s most notable benefit from this arrangement is constant supply of Shahed/Geran military drones, which it has been using in its terror campaign against Ukrainian population, targeting civilian housing and the power grid to disrupt heating and water supply, attempting to break morale and push Ukraine to be ready to accept worse terms.
This wouldn’t be unique for Iran, it’s far from the first time Russia has come to the rescue of a threatened authoritarian: Russian troops were sent to Kazakhstan in January 2022 to quell protests over fuel prices[9], were promised to Belarus by Putin to keep Lukashenko in power amid protests over falsified elections[10], Russian money was given to Yanukovich to keep Ukraine in Russian sphere of influence[11], soon followed by orders to crush Maidan with force, and as soon as Yanukovich began to crack under pressure from Maidan, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev threatened to withheld said money, unless the protests be squashed[12].
On the brighter side, Russian direct military involvement is unlikely, seeing the way Russia has abandoned it’s partners and allies during full scale invasion of Ukraine: Assad’s regime during its rapid downfall in 2024, Venezuela during the American invasion in 2025 and Armenia in 2023. Russia is however still eager to support antidemocratic leaders, they remain a big sponsor of European far-right parties: Reform in UK, Rassemblement National in France, AfD in Germany, FPÖ in Austria[13]. They are supportive of Viktor Orban’s government in Hungary and they fund far right media in western countries[14] to maim their democratic process and create fertile soil for populist isolationist autocrats to rise, putting internationalism in jeopardy.
Roman Mova.
Citations:
1- Grajewski, Nicole. “How Russia Is Supporting Iran’s Repression.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 15 Jan. 2026, foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/14/iran-russia-moscow-khamenei-putin-protests/.
2- “Договор о Всеобъемлющем Стратегическом Партнерстве Между Российской Федерацией и Исламской Республикой Иран.” Договор Российской Федерации От 17.01.2025 ∙ Официальное Опубликование Правовых Актов, 2 Oct. 2025, publication.pravo.gov.ru/document/0001202510020001.
3- Albright, David, and Spencer Faragasso. “Iran/Russia Military Technology Axis: Russia Showcases to Iran New and Advanced Military Technology.” Iran/Russia Military Technology Axis: Russia Showcases to Iran New and Advanced Military Technology | ISIS Reports | Institute For Science And International Security, 5 June 2024, isis-online.org/isis-reports/iran-russia-military-technology-axis-russia-showcases-to-iran-new-and-advan/.
4- Schemmel, Alec. “Top Iranian Official Downplays Death Toll, Blames ‘Israeli Plot’ as US Considers Strikes.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 14 Jan. 2026, www.foxnews.com/politics/top-iranian-official-downplays-death-toll-blames-israeli-plot-us-considers-strikes.
5- Grajewski, Nicole. “Moscow’s Hand in Iran’s Repressive Apparatus.” Moscow’s Hand in Iran’s Repressive Apparatus, Axes and Atoms, 11 Jan. 2026, axesandatoms.substack.com/p/moscows-hand-in-irans-repressive.
6- “White House: Concerned Moscow May Be Advising Iran on Best Practices to Manage Protests | Reuters.” Reuters, 6 Oct. 2022, www.reuters.com/world/white-house-concerned-moscow-may-be-advising-iran-best-practices-manage-protests-2022-10-26/.
7- Newsroom, Iran International. “Tehran Asks Moscow for Help to Suppress Protests - Sources.” Iran International, Iran International, 25 Oct. 2023, www.iranintl.com/en/202212034392.
8- Lieber, Dov, et al. “WSJ: Russia Is Supplying Iran with Cyber Weapons in Exchange for Drones.” Russia Supplies Iran With Cyber Weapons as Military Cooperation Grows, 27 Mar. 2023, www.wsj.com/articles/russia-supplies-iran-with-cyber-weapons-as-military-cooperation-grows-b14b94cd.
9- Auyezov, Olzhas. “Russia Sends Troops to Put down Kazakhstan Uprising as Fresh Violence Erupts | Reuters.” Reuters, 7 Jan. 2022, www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/troops-protesters-clash-almaty-main-square-kazakhstan-shots-heard-2022-01-06/.
10- Walker, Shaun. “Belarus Protests: Putin Ready to Send Lukashenko Military Support.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 27 Aug. 2020, www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/belarus-protests-putin-ready-to-send-lukashenko-military-support.
11- “Russia Reaches Deal with Ukraine on $15 Billion Bailout.” CNBC, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2013, www.cnbc.com/2013/12/17/russia-reaches-deal-with-ukraine-on-15-billion-bailout.html.
12- Piper, Elizabeth. “don’t Be Doormat” Russia Warns Cash-Starved Kiev | Reuters, 20 Feb. 2014, www.reuters.com/article/world/dont-be-doormat-russia-warns-cash-starved-kiev-idUSBREA1J0Y8/.
13- Datta, Neil. “Why Russia Funds Europe’s Far Right.” Open Democracy, 6 Apr. 2022, www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/russia-ukraine-war-putin-europe-far-right-funding-conservatives/.
14- “US Conservative Influencers Say They Are ‘victims’ of Russian Disinformation Campaign.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 5 Sept. 2024, www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/05/tim-pool-benny-johnson-influencers-russia-disinformation.