According to a report by Reuters on Thursdays, March 05, 2026, Ukraine’s leadership has said that Russia is not acting as a genuine ally of Iran, suggesting Moscow lacks the capacity to support Tehran militarily while continuing its war in Ukraine.
In comments provided to Ukrainian media and officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia may be supplying weapons and electronic components used in Iranian “Shahed” attack drones that have been striking targets in the Middle East. He pointed to fragments of these drones as evidence. “I am confident that the Russians are supplying the Iranian regime with weapons. We understand that they may be providing electronics for ‘shaheds’,” Zelenskyy said. “All of this is found in the fragments of the ‘shaheds’ striking the Middle East today.” He added that if allied intelligence services share information, this connection could be confirmed.
Zelenskyy also noted that Russia’s military forces are heavily committed to the war in Ukraine, leaving little capacity for wider engagement. “Today, Russia does not act as an ally of Iran. Maybe it would like to, but we have already seen this with Syria and now we see it with Iran – I think they simply do not have enough strength for this,” he said. “All their forces are either in the land of Ukraine or involved in the war against Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian President’s remarks come amid growing tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel, which began after a series of airstrikes and have drawn global attention. Tehran has been using “Shahed” drones in retaliation for strikes on its territory, raising concerns among Western nations.
Despite accusations that Russia could be supplying Tehran with weaponry or technology, official statements from Moscow have denied that Iran has requested arms supplies. Kremlin spokespeople said Tehran has not made such requests, and Russia has not changed its position on providing military assistance.