A recent assessment from Ukrainian intelligence suggests that Russia has been providing Iran with satellite intelligence and cyber support to assist in planning regional attacks. This alleged cooperation, detailed in a report reviewed by Reuters and not independently verified, outlines an apparent operational pattern between Moscow and Tehran.
According to the assessment, Russian satellites conducted approximately 24 surveillance missions over 11 countries between March 21 and March 31. These missions reportedly mapped 46 sites, including military installations, airports, and oil facilities. The report claims that within days of these surveys, Iranian ballistic missiles and drones targeted facilities identified by the satellite passes.
A Western military source and a regional security source also indicated to Reuters that intelligence pointed to increased Russian satellite activity in the area, with suggestions that imagery was shared with Iran. The assessment highlighted that nine of these surveillance missions focused on Saudi Arabia, with repeated passes over the King Khalid Military City. This monitoring may have been aimed at identifying components of the US-made THAAD air defence system.
Other locations reportedly monitored include parts of Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as sites in Qatar, Iraq, and Bahrain. The Ukrainian report also noted increased Russian satellite observation of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route.
One specific incident mentioned involved a Russian satellite capturing images of Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia shortly before an Iranian strike on March 27. The assessment indicated that the strike hit a US E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft and that a subsequent satellite pass assessed the damage.
In response, the White House stated that external support for Iran was not impacting US operational effectiveness and that there was no indication such assistance had altered outcomes on the ground. Iran's foreign ministry has not provided a comment, and Russia's defence ministry has not responded to requests for comment.
European leaders reportedly discussed these allegations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a G7 meeting. However, diplomats indicated that Rubio did not directly address the claims and has publicly downplayed the significance of any Russian assistance to Iran.
The Ukrainian assessment also raised concerns about growing cyber cooperation. It alleged that Russian and Iranian hacking groups have coordinated operations targeting critical infrastructure and telecommunications systems in the Gulf region. The report identified Russian-linked groups such as "Z-Pentest Alliance," "NoName057(16)," and "DDoSia Project" as interacting with Iran's "Handala Hack" via Telegram, including the sharing of access credentials linked to Israeli infrastructure.
Furthermore, Iranian hacker groups are said to have adopted techniques associated with Russian military intelligence operations, including the use of a Russian-based virtual private server provider.
Military ties between Russia and Iran have reportedly strengthened since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine and Western governments have previously accused Iran of supplying attack drones to Russia, an accusation that Tehran denies. In January of the previous year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" treaty, which reportedly includes provisions for intelligence sharing between the two nations.
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