Putin Says Russia Should Learn From Iran’s Naval Warfare Tactics
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia should study and adopt elements of Iran’s approach to naval warfare, pointing to the effectiveness of Tehran’s fast attack craft during recent conflicts in the Middle East.
Speaking about the future of Russia’s naval capabilities, Putin highlighted Iran’s use of small, high-speed boats—often referred to as “Mosquito” boats—as an example of an effective asymmetric warfare strategy. According to Putin, these vessels have demonstrated their value by challenging larger and more heavily armed naval forces.
“Look at what happened in the Middle East. Iran’s small, fast ‘Mosquito’ boats proved to be highly effective. We are also developing similar capabilities,” Putin said.
He added that Russia is building a new generation of small, missile-armed warships equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles. Putin said these vessels will be capable of carrying out precise strikes against enemy targets while offering greater mobility and flexibility than larger warships.
The comments reflect Russia’s growing emphasis on agile, missile-equipped naval platforms designed for coastal defense and precision strike missions. Military analysts have long noted that Iran’s strategy of relying on numerous fast attack craft allows it to complicate the operations of larger adversaries through speed, maneuverability, and concentrated missile fire.
Putin did not specify when the new Russian vessels would enter service or provide additional details about the scale of the program.