Kyiv [Ukraine], July 26 (ANI): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday accused Russia of providing satellite intelligence to Iran to support strikes against US military facilities and infrastructure in Gulf countries, while also alleging that Moscow is preparing to receive 30,000 North Korean troops to strengthen its forces.
In his evening address shared on X, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence had detected Russian satellite surveillance activity over US military bases and Gulf state facilities, with the collected information allegedly being transferred to Iran.
“I will instruct our intelligence to share with our partners the information we have regarding Russia’s new assistance to the Iranian regime,” Zelenskyy said. “Since the beginning of July, we have recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and U.S. military facilities located there. These images subsequently appear in Iran.”
The Ukrainian leader claimed there was a direct connection between Russian intelligence gathering and Iranian military operations, citing what he described as a “clear correlation” between Russian satellite imagery and Iranian strikes before, during, and after attacks to assess damage.
Zelenskyy said Russian satellites had focused on four regional air bases on July 19 and 20 alone, including two facilities in Bahrain, one in Jordan, and one in Kuwait.
Addressing Russia’s reported military cooperation with North Korea, Zelenskyy alleged that Moscow was preparing to receive a large deployment of North Korean troops while also acquiring additional weapons systems from Pyongyang.
“Russia wants to receive another 30,000 troops from North Korea,” he said. “Since June, preparations have been underway in Russia’s Voronezh region to receive them. North Korea is also preparing to transfer additional launchers for ballistic missiles to Russia.”
Zelenskyy warned that the growing Russia-North Korea partnership posed a wider international security challenge beyond the war in Ukraine.
“This is a threat not only to Ukraine,” he said. “Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, improve its weapons, and gain real combat experience in using them. All of this is a threat to everyone in Asia who is within range of North Korean missiles.”
Turning to developments inside Ukraine, Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting agricultural infrastructure and grain production facilities, particularly in regions such as Sumy.
He said the attacks were part of a strategy previously used during the conflict to disrupt global food supplies and increase pressure on international grain markets.
“This is Russia’s deliberate tactic of carrying out callous strikes,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had been instructed to brief international partners on the issue.
He warned that continued disruption of Black Sea grain exports could affect food prices in countries dependent on imported agricultural products, including Egypt and Libya.
“Now, because of Russia’s blockade of grain exports from the Black Sea region, the cost of living may once again come under pressure – serious pressure – in countries such as Egypt, Libya, and many others that depend on imports of grain and grain products,” he said.
Calling for stronger international action, Zelenskyy urged world leaders not to ignore what he described as the expanding nature of the conflict and Russia’s efforts to strengthen alliances.
“None of us in the world should turn a blind eye to one very simple fact: evil always seeks ways to make things worse and spread further,” he said. “Russia must be stopped. This war must be stopped. Pressure on the aggressor must work.”
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump on Friday warned China and Russia against supplying weapons to Iran, while stating that he had received assurances from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin that neither country was currently providing military assistance to Tehran.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said any decision by Beijing or Moscow to transfer weapons to Iran would have serious consequences.
“Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating,” Trump wrote. “If they did, it would be very bad for them. Certainly not in their best interests.”
Trump’s comments followed reports that Washington was examining whether Russia and China had provided targeting intelligence to Iran following a series of strikes against US military installations. (ANI)
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