Kyiv stated that Moscow is sharing its satellite intelligence with Iran to help Tehran strike Israel’s energy sites, which could cause power grid collapse and mass blackouts.
Russia has shared its satellite intelligence on Israel's energy system with Iran, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
According to Zelenskyy, Kyiv has information that Moscow shared data on "some 50–53 facilities in total," adding that these are civilian infrastructure sites with no military significance.
"It resembles the lives of Ukrainians under Russian attacks, when they target our energy grid or water supply systems," Zelenskyy said.
“Of course, all the experience Russia has obtained during the war against Ukraine is being shared with Iran. This was the case with Shaheds, the same drones the Russians have, only used under a different name and upgraded to newer generations.”
According to Israeli outlets, the targeted sites are divided into three categories based on their strategic importance.
First are the critical production facilities. Destroying these sites would cripple the national energy system. According to sources close to Ukrainian intelligence, the reports specifically point to the Orot Rabin power station as a primary target.
The second category includes major urban and industrial energy hubs. These facilities are located primarily in central Israel and serve large population centres.
The third category focuses on local infrastructure. These targets include regional substations that support industrial zones and smaller power plants.
Russian intelligence reportedly told Tehran that damaging even a few central components could trigger a total and prolonged energy collapse, leading to mass blackouts and technical failures that could not be easily mitigated.
Russia-Iran alliance
According to a Ukrainian intelligence assessment, Russian satellites have made dozens of detailed imagery surveys of military facilities and critical sites across the Middle East to help Iran strike US forces and other targets.
Earlier in March US President Donald Trump downplayed the importance of Moscow reportedly sharing intel with Iran to help it hit US-linked targets, stating that even if Moscow was passing on such details, Iran was getting little out of it.
One month later, Ukrainian intelligence reports provide more details on what could be shared between Moscow and Tehran.
According to the latest assessment, Russian satellites conducted at least 24 surveys of areas in 11 Middle Eastern countries from 21 March to 31 March, covering 46 "objects", including US and other military bases and sites, such as airports and oil fields.
Within days of being surveyed, military bases and headquarters were targeted by Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, the assessment said, in what it described as a clear pattern.
According to Kyiv, the exchange of satellite imagery was being organised through a permanent communications channel used by Russia and Iran, and could also be facilitated by Russian military intelligence officers stationed in Tehran.
Russia and Iran have deepened military ties since Moscow started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian also signed a treaty on "comprehensive strategic partnership" in January last year.
Article 4 of the Treaty states that "in order to strengthen national security and counter common threats, the intelligence and security services of the contracting parties exchange information and experience."