Russia has provided Iran with satellite imagery and cyber support to aid attacks on US and other targets in the Middle East, according to a Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by "Reuters".
The report says that between March 21 and 31, Russian satellites carried out at least 24 observations in 11 countries, covering 46 sites, including military bases, airfields and oil fields. Within days of these sightings, attacks by Iranian ballistic missiles and drones followed, in what the assessment found to be a clear pattern.
Nine of the sightings were in Saudi Arabia, including five over the "King Khalid" military city, aimed at locating elements of the US THAAD system. Other targets were in Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, the UAE, and once each in Israel, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain and the Diego Garcia base. There was also increased surveillance of the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has imposed a de facto blockade of all ships except those it designates as "non-hostile vessels".
"Reuters" was unable to independently confirm the assessment. The White House said external support for Iran does not affect US operational success. Russia and Iran did not comment. European leaders raised the issue with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a G7 meeting, but he did not respond to the allegations, although he publicly downplayed them.
According to the document, the data exchange is carried out through a "permanent communication channel used by Russia and Iran" and may involve Russian military intelligence in Tehran. It cites a specific case in which a Russian satellite photographed the "Prince Sultan" base days before a strike on March 27 that hit an AWACS E-3 Sentry aircraft. A new overflight was carried out the next day to assess the damage.
The report also highlights increased cyber cooperation. Iranian hacking groups have intensified operations against infrastructure in the Persian Gulf, working with Russian groups via Telegram. These include the "Z-Pentest Alliance", "NoName057(16)", "DDoSia Project" and the Iranian "Handala Hack". In one case, the groups coordinated attacks on Israeli energy systems, with Russian hackers posting access to control systems.
The assessment adds that Iranian groups used techniques and infrastructure linked to Russian military intelligence, including the Russian VPS provider ProfitServer.
Moscow and Tehran have deepened their cooperation since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and their strategic partnership treaty provides for the exchange of intelligence information "to strengthen national security and counter common threats.".