Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told CNN in an interview excerpt aired on Saturday that Russia is supplying Iran with Shahed drones intended for use against the United States and Israel.
In the interview with Fareed Zakaria, Zelenskiy stated that it is "100% facts" that Iran has used Russian-made Shahed drones to strike U.S. bases. The president's comments tied a series of regional attacks to Shahed systems while noting that the manufacturers behind such attacks are not always straightforward to identify.
Shahed drones originated in Iran as a lower-cost alternative to traditional missiles. Their relative affordability has made them attractive to armed forces looking for cheaper strike options. They first became prominent on a large scale during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where Ukrainian officials report that thousands of Shahed drones have been launched by Russian forces since fall 2022.
Although Iran initially supplied these drones, the production landscape changed as Russia began manufacturing its own Shahed variants. The technology has also been adopted beyond Iran and Russia: armed forces in other countries have taken on Shahed-type drones, and the U.S. military has said such systems are part of the current campaign against Iran.
Observers and officials have linked Shahed drones to multiple attacks across the region, but attribution can be complicated because the manufacturers or operators are not always clear in each incident. Zelenskiy's public assertion adds a further layer to questions about supply lines and the proliferation of this class of weapon.
Context to note
- Zelenskiy made the statements in a CNN interview excerpt aired on Saturday.
- He described as "100% facts" the use of Russian-made Shaheds by Iran against U.S. bases.
- Shahed drones were first widely used during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with thousands launched since fall 2022 according to Ukrainian sources.