UK Publicly Showcases Captured Iranian Shahed Drone Supplying Putin’s War Machine

The British Parliament has hosted the first public display in Europe of an Iranian-made Shahed-136 attack drone used by Russia in its war against Ukraine, UK Defence Journal reported.

The event, held in Speaker’s Court at the House of Commons, was organized by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) in cooperation with MP Tom Tugendhat and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

The display was attended by Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, who delivered remarks alongside Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Tugendhat, and UANI CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace.

The Shahed-136, also known as the Geran-2 in Russia, is a loitering munition capable of striking long-range targets with high precision. It has become one of the most widely used systems in Russia’s ongoing drone campaign against Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian data cited by UK Defence Journal, Russia has launched over 38,000 Shahed drones since the beginning of 2025, with more than 5,000 attacks recorded in September alone. The drones have primarily targeted energy facilities and civilian areas across Ukraine.

Tugendhat described the Shahed as a symbol of the growing military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. “This drone is a stark reminder that the Iranian regime’s partnership with Russia threatens European security beyond Ukraine,” he said.

Tugendhat added that NATO’s recent consultations under Article 4 were triggered after Russian drones violated Polish airspace.

Ambassador Wallace compared the Iranian-made weapon to Germany’s World War II-era “Doodlebug” flying bomb. “The Iranian regime’s Shahed drone is today’s Nazi Doodlebug — an indiscriminate flying weapon of terror designed to kill civilians and destroy critical infrastructure,” he said.

“By supplying these drones to Russia, Iran’s regime is enabling war not just on Ukraine, but on international security itself.”

Earlier, the UK and Ukraine announced plans to jointly manufacture interceptor drones designed to counter Russia’s Shahed attacks. The initiative aims to produce around 2,000 units per month by combining Ukrainian technology with British manufacturing capacity.

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