Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on July 26, 2026, that he will provide evidence to the United States indicating that Russia is assisting Iran in targeting U.S. military bases in the Middle East through satellite surveillance. Zelenskyy reported that since early July, there has been active Russian satellite surveillance of Gulf states and U.S. military facilities, with images appearing in Iran. He noted a correlation between the timing of Russian satellite imagery and Iranian strikes on these sites.
This is not the first time Zelenskyy has made such accusations; a senior U.S. official previously informed CBS News that Russia was providing intelligence to Iran regarding U.S. positions in the region. During a recent Capitol Hill hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged adversarial alignment between Russia, China, and Iran, although his comments were not definitive.
In contrast, former President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that he did not believe Russia and China were assisting Iran, citing assurances from both leaders. Zelenskyy highlighted specific instances of Russian assistance to Iran, mentioning that on July 19 and 20, four air bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait were within the area monitored by Russian satellites.
Zelenskyy emphasized the need for the international community to recognize the threat posed by Russia and to take action against it. He noted that since the beginning of the Iran war, 18 American service members have been killed, with multiple injuries reported from Iranian airstrikes on U.S. bases in the region.