- Russia conducted satellite surveillance of US and allied military sites in Middle East before Iran's attack
- Zelensky claimed Russia shared intelligence with Iran to target US forces in the region
- Russian satellites imaged key locations including Diego Garcia, Kuwait, and Saudi bases from March 24 to 26
Russia conducted satellite surveillance of US and allied military facilities across the Middle East in the days leading up to an Iranian attack on a base in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed.
Zelensky, in an interview in Qatar, claimed he was “100%” confident that Russia shared such intelligence with Iran, helping it target US forces in the region. “I think that it's in Russia's interest to help Iranians. And I don't believe, I know, that they share information,” he said. “Do they help Iranians? Of course. How many percent? One-hundred percent," as per NBC News.
On X, Zelensky said he received intelligence briefings indicating that Russian satellites had imaged several strategic locations “in the interests of Iran” between March 24 and 26.
“I was briefed that US military facilities in the Middle East and the Gulf region were photographed by Russian satellites in the interests of Iran,” he wrote.
Zelensky said that on March 24, Russian satellites also captured images of several key locations, including the US–UK military facility on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago, Kuwait International Airport and parts of the Greater Burgan oil field. He added that the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia was photographed the following day.
He further claimed that on March 26, additional sites, such as Shaybah oil and gas field in Saudi Arabia, İncirlik Air Base in Türkiye and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, were also captured.
He added, “There are no Ukrainian facilities on this list. But who is helping whom when sanctions are lifted from an aggressor that earns daily revenue and provides intelligence for strikes against American, Middle Eastern, UK, and U.S.–UK bases and so on?”
“When surveillance is carried out over facilities, we always understand that they must be protected, since plans are in motion to destroy them – energy and water infrastructure, military facilities, and so on. Everyone knows that repeated reconnaissance indicates preparations for strikes,” he added.
The Ukrainian president called Russia an “aggressor” and questioned why sanctions were eased on it.
“It looks strange. Sanctions are being lifted, while the aggressor is providing intelligence to strike facilities, including those of the countries that are discussing or have already lifted sanctions,” he concluded.
An Iranian missile and drone strike targeted a military installation in Saudi Arabia where US and Saudi personnel were present on March 26. The attack left several American troops injured, but as per reports, none of them was critical.
