Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Iran's so-called "mosquito fleet", describing it as an effective example of how modern technology is reshaping naval warfare.
Speaking during a meeting with Russian naval officers on Sunday, Putin pointed to Iran's maritime tactics in the ongoing Middle East conflict.
"Look at what's happening in the Middle East conflict zone," Putin said, according to Russia's state-run Sputnik news agency.
"Iran using their mosquito fleet have been quite efficient in their warfare. It's a matter of new technologies."
He said small naval vessels equipped with advanced weapons systems had proven highly effective despite their limited size.
"We have these small ships. They are small in tonnage, but they are fitted with state-of-the-art weapons," Putin added.
Iran's 'mosquito fleet'
According to Sputnik, Iran's so-called mosquito fleet consists of around 20 Ghadir-class midget submarines and several thousand fast missile and assault boats.
The lightweight vessels are designed for speed and manoeuvrability and can reportedly be concealed inside tunnels carved into Iran's rocky coastline, making them difficult to detect and target with long-range strikes.
