Iran drone experts deployed to Crimea – US 

Iran has sent military experts to Crimea to help launch drone attacks on Ukraine, according to the White House. 

A US spokesman said the Iranians being sent there are trainers and tech support workers.

On Monday, Kyiv was hit by “kamikaze” drones from Russia but believed to be Iranian-made. 

The UK has slapped sanctions on Iranian businesses and individuals responsible for supplying the drones. 

“We assess that Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

A “relatively small” number of Iranians are providing technical support and Russians are piloting the drones in Ukraine, he said.

“Tehran is now directly engaged on the ground, and through the provision of weapons that are impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine,” Mr Kirby said.