Chainalysis: Organizations linked to Russia and Iran use cryptocurrencies to buy military drones, and pro-Russian groups raise more than $8.3 million

Gate News message, March 31, Chainalysis released a report saying that low-cost commercial drones have become a core tool of modern conflicts, and that organizations linked to Russia and Iran are increasingly using cryptocurrencies to fund the procurement of military drones and drone parts. Since 2022, pro-Russian volunteers and paramilitary groups have raised more than $8.3 million in crypto donations through various blockchains. The report shows that the Scalpel drones designed by the sanctioned Russian drone developer KB Vostok have a unit price of about $2,200, and on-chain transaction records show multiple payments that precisely match that unit price and its multiples. These groups are moving from Bitcoin to using stablecoins for procurement to take advantage of their price stability. In Iran’s case, Iran’s Defense Ministry’s Export Center (Mindex) has publicly promoted accepting cryptocurrency payments for advanced weapons, including Shahed drones and ballistic missiles. Chainalysis has found that a wallet used to purchase drone components has direct or indirect financial ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Nobitex exchange. The data show that during the 12-day war that broke out between Iran and Israel in June 2025, on-chain inflows of funds to the relevant drone suppliers surged significantly.