There are reports that Russians are providing intelligence to Iran to adjust strikes on Americans, and evidence of Russian-made components in Shahed drones used in the Middle East, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address Saturday.
Zelensky thanked “every leader, every country” that supports the PURL program, which allows the purchase of US-made air-defense missiles for Patriot systems.
“We all understand the risks posed by strikes from Iran and the need for air-defense missiles in the Middle East. It is important that the protection of life is also ensured here in Ukraine. Moreover, we see information about Russian assistance to the Iranian regime: there are reports that Russians are giving intelligence to the regime in Iran to adjust strikes on Americans. There are also data about Russian components in ‘Shaheds’ used in the Middle East—against Arab countries and against Americans in the region. Every such fact shows that we are dealing with regimes that are not just connected to each other, but that exist thanks to each other—the Russian and Iranian regimes—and that they are killing in a coordinated way both here in Europe and there in the Middle East,” Zelensky said.
The President added that this is why defense must be coordinated.
“Life in Europe and life in the Middle East equally deserve effective protection. We, for our part, are working to help with defense against ‘Shaheds.’ It is entirely fair to expect that our own defense will receive appropriate assistance, and that Russia will feel consequences not only for prolonging its war against us, but also for attempts to scale up that other war,” he said.
