Russia gave Iran intelligence on Israel's energy infrastructure, Zelensky says
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Russia provided Iran with satellite intelligence on over 50 Israeli energy sites, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 5, the latest of a series of Ukrainian claims that Russia is supporting Tehran militarily.
"(Russia) helps Iran launch attacks. These are civilian infrastructures without any military purpose," Zelensky posted on his Telegram channel on April 5, sharing comments he gave in an AP interview conducted Saturday.
"This reminds (us) of life under Russian bombings in Ukraine, when they target our power grid or water supply systems," he added.
Since U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran began on Feb. 28, Ukraine has repeatedly said that Russia is sharing intelligence with Iran.
Zelensky said on March 23 that Ukraine has "irrefutable evidence" that Russia is providing intelligence to Tehran, citing information from Ukraine's military intelligence services.
Russia has acknowledged this arrangement, according to Politico, who reported on March 20 that Russia offered to stop sharing intelligence with Iran in exchange for the U.S. halting intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
American intelligence is crucial for Ukraine's army, which uses it to identify Russian military targets and incoming drone and missile attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump earlier on March 7 downplayed the idea that Russian intelligence sharing with Iran posed a threat to the U.S., claiming that "it's not doing much."
Russia and Iran have deepened cooperation in recent years, particularly since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Tehran supplying drones and other military equipment to Russia's armed forces.
Iranian Shahed drones, of which Russia now manufactures its own version domestically, are particularly menacing for Ukraine. Russia launches waves of the Iranian-inspired strike drone at Ukraine every day.
Iran has targeted oil tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz with Shahed drones, causing traffic through the narrow sea channel to collapse as insurance companies grow wary of offering coverage. The fall in traffic through the strait, a key artery for global oil and gas flows, has caused energy prices to spike.
"All the experience Russia gained during the war against Ukraine is being transferred to Iran," Zelensky said in the statement.
