Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of providing intelligence to Iran, helping it target U.S. forces in the Middle East on Saturday.
Zelenskyy Accuses Russia Of Supplying Iran With Intelligence
In an interview with NBC News in Qatar, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia provided Iran with satellite intelligence of the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia before an attack that injured American personnel.
He supported the claim by reading directly from his daily intelligence briefing during the interview.
“Do they help Iranians? Of course. How much support? 100%,” Zelenskyy said, asserting Russian aircraft surveilled the facility three times in the days before Iran’s attack.
The allegation reflects a continuing pattern of military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
In mid-March, Zelenskyy said Russia transferred Shahed drones to Iran, which were built under Iranian licenses and later refined through combat experience in Ukraine. He added that those systems were subsequently used against U.S. bases and Iran’s regional neighbors. U.S. and European officials have independently confirmed the transfers, pointing to an ongoing arrangement between the two governments.
According to an NBC News report, Zelenskyy said that, based on Ukraine’s experience, repeatedly photographing installations over several days can signal preparations for an attack.
NBC News also stated that the briefing did not provide evidence of the Russian satellite imagery, did not explain how Ukraine obtained the information and was unable to independently verify its accuracy.
Rising Middle East Tensions
The accusations from the Ukrainian President come amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East. Houthis, a Yemen-based, Iran-backed militant group, have also entered the conflict.
Earlier, following US strikes on Iranian power plants, Iran targeted critical infrastructure spots, which have not only heightened the geopolitical situation but have also severely impacted the global energy markets, with Israel vowing to ramp up its attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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