President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia has been conducting satellite surveillance of US and allied military facilities in the Middle East and sharing the intelligence with Iran, raising concerns about potential coordination targeting Western interests.
The remarks were made in a post on Zelensky’s official X account, where he described recent intelligence briefings he received while traveling abroad.
Satellite imagery of US, Gulf facilities
Zelensky said he had been informed that Russian satellites photographed several military and strategic sites across the Middle East and Gulf region.
According to his account, the targets included the US–UK joint military facility on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, Kuwait International Airport and parts of the Greater Burgan oil field.
He added that further imagery captured Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, as well as the Shaybah oil and gas field, İncirlik Air Base in Türkiye, and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar over the following days.
Zelensky suggested the intelligence was collected “in the interests of Iran,” though he did not provide additional evidence.
Warning over potential strike preparations
Drawing parallels to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, Zelensky argued that such surveillance typically precedes military strikes.
“When surveillance is carried out over facilities in Ukraine, we always understand that they must be protected,” he wrote, noting that repeated reconnaissance often indicates preparations to target infrastructure.
He added that similar patterns should raise concerns when applied to facilities in other regions.
“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?” Zelensky wrote.
Criticism of sanctions policy
Zelensky drew a broader connection between Russia’s alleged intelligence activities and ongoing debates over sanctions, suggesting that easing restrictions could indirectly benefit actions targeting Western and allied infrastructure.
“There must be pressure on the aggressor. And lifting sanctions is certainly not pressure,” he wrote.
He described the situation as contradictory, saying sanctions were being relaxed even as Russia allegedly supports intelligence gathering related to potential strikes against Western and allied infrastructure.
Remarks come during Gulf visit
Zelensky’s comments come as he has been traveling in the Middle East and Gulf region, where Ukraine has been pursuing defense cooperation agreements and security partnerships with regional states.
The visit is part of Kyiv’s broader effort to strengthen international ties and expand military-technical cooperation amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.