Russia had taken satellite images of a US base at Prince Sultan in Saudi Arabia at least three times before Iran attacked it on Friday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
In an interview with NBC News, the Ukrainian president alleged that Moscow had shared intelligence with Tehran ahead of the strike, though he did not publicly present verifiable evidence and based his claims on assessments by Ukrainian intelligence services.
Iran has been targeting US facilities in the Middle East in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on its infrastructure, which have recently expanded to include the Bushehr nuclear power plant on the Gulf coast.
The latest Iranian strike wounded ten US soldiers, according to initial reports, though none of the injuries are said to be life-threatening. The Prince Sultan base is one of 13 US facilities targeted, with some operations reportedly moved to hotels in host Arab states.
Zelenskyy said the alleged satellite imagery pointed to direct Russian involvement in the conflict. ‘I think it is in Russia’s interest to help the Iranians. And not that I believe, I know, that they share intelligence,’ he said, adding he was ‘100 per cent’ certain of his intelligence services’ assessment.
He added that such reconnaissance patterns are familiar from Ukraine’s own battlefield experience. ‘We know that when they take pictures once, it is preparation. When they do it a second time, it is like a simulation. When they do it a third time, within one or two days, they attack,’ he said.
Zelenskyy also warned that US air defence systems originally intended for Ukraine could be diverted to the Middle East. The escalation, he argued, plays into Moscow’s hands by pushing up oil prices and weakening sanctions pressure.
He further suggested that the conflict with Iran is complicating already stalled peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which have been at an impasse since early March.
The Ukrainian president visited several Arab countries last week, including Qatar, where he concluded a defence cooperation agreement. Under the arrangement, Ukrainian anti-drone specialists, experienced in countering Iranian Shahed-type drones over more than four years of war, are to be deployed in the region.
In return, Kyiv is expected to receive billions of dollars in investment in its defence sector, which has rapidly developed during the war and is now among the most advanced in Europe.
(nbc news, reuters, pir, sab)