Belarus seeking Iran's help manufacturing artillery shells - Ukraine

Belarus is also reportedly seeking Iran's assistance with transitioning to a closed ammunition production cycle.

 A self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika of pro-Russian troops fires a leaflet shell in the direction of Sievierodonetsk to disperse information materials from their combat positions in the Luhansk region, Ukraine May 24, 2022.  (photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)
A self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika of pro-Russian troops fires a leaflet shell in the direction of Sievierodonetsk to disperse information materials from their combat positions in the Luhansk region, Ukraine May 24, 2022.
(photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)

Belarus is considering turning to Iran to help it produce 152mm and 122mm artillery shells, Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) reported on Saturday.

Furthermore, the country is seeking Iran's assistance with transitioning to a closed ammunition production cycle.

Additionally, Belarus is assessing the possibility of assembling 122-mm, 220-mm, and 300-mm artillery projectiles using imported components.

For these purposes, a Belarusian delegation is set to travel to Iran between November 20 and 23.

"The list of issues for discussion with the Iranian side concerns the entire production cycle – from the technology of steel smelting for the component parts of the ammunition to the coloring of the projectiles and the containers used for their packaging."

Main Directorate of Intelligence

"The list of issues for discussion with the Iranian side concerns the entire production cycle – from the technology of steel smelting for the component parts of the ammunition to the coloring of the projectiles and the containers used for their packaging," the report noted.

 Smoke rises above a self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika of pro-Russian troops, which fired a leaflet shell in the direction of Sievierodonetsk to disperse information materials from combat positions in the Luhansk region, Ukraine May 24, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)
Smoke rises above a self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika of pro-Russian troops, which fired a leaflet shell in the direction of Sievierodonetsk to disperse information materials from combat positions in the Luhansk region, Ukraine May 24, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)

Iranian military assistance to Belarus

In October, The Jerusalem Post reported that pilots from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been spotted providing training to drone operators and coordinating drone launches in Belarus, according to the Ukrainian National Resistance Center.