Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday accused Russia of sharing intelligence with Iran ahead of an attack on a U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia that left American service members injured, citing Ukrainian intelligence assessments of Russian satellite activity in the days leading up to the strike.
Speaking in an interview conducted in Doha, Qatar, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence had observed Russian satellites capturing images of Prince Sultan Air Base on three occasions—March 20, March 23, and March 25—prior to the Iranian strike on March 26.
Zelenskyy said the pattern of surveillance matched what Ukrainian officials have seen during Russia’s own military operations. “I think that it’s in Russia’s interest to help Iranians. And I don’t believe — I know — that they share information,” he told NBC News. “Do they help Iranians? Of course. How many percent? One-hundred percent.”
Drawing on Ukraine’s battlefield experience, Zelenskyy described what he characterized as a recognizable sequence of reconnaissance. “We know that if they make images once, they are preparing. If they make images a second time, it’s like a simulation. The third time it means that in one or two days, they will attack,” he said.
The strike targeted a base housing both U.S. and Saudi forces and resulted in injuries to several American troops, though U.S. officials said none of the injuries were life-threatening. NBC News has not independently confirmed the Ukrainian intelligence claims regarding Russian satellite involvement.
The allegation comes amid broader reporting that Russia has provided various forms of support to Iran, including information related to U.S. military positions in the region. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has denied that Moscow is supplying intelligence to Tehran, while acknowledging continued military cooperation between the two countries.
Earlier in the week, another Russian senior official said that Russia could put Middle Eastern countries under its “nuclear shield,” serving as a threat to the United States.
Zelenskyy’s remarks came during a trip to the Gulf, where he sought to promote Ukraine’s air defense capabilities—developed during years of war with Russia, which has relied heavily on Iranian-designed Shahed drones. He announced new defense agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar involving Ukrainian technical assistance in exchange for investment in Ukraine’s defense sector.
He also warned that escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran could place additional strain on U.S. weapons supplies, particularly missile interceptors that Ukraine depends on. “I’m very worried. I hope that the United States will not make such mistakes,” Zelenskyy said, adding that scheduled deliveries to Kyiv have continued so far.
Zelenskyy argued that prolonged instability in the Middle East could benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin by driving up energy prices and potentially weakening sanctions on Russian exports. “If sanctions are lifted, [Putin] will get more money, much more money, and he will put this money to weapons,” he said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the war with Iran will likely last four to sixmore weeks.
Asked about Washington’s current priorities, Zelenskyy offered a measured response. “I hope so. You know the policy of the United States today. They care about the United States more. It’s understandable, by the way. We understand it and I think that the American team is very open about it.”
