Russia Is Supplying Iran With Shahed Drones, Zelenskiy Says

March 14 (Reuters) – Russia is ⁠supplying ⁠Iran with ⁠Shahed drones to use against the ​U.S. and Israel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr ‌Zelenskiy told CNN in ‌an interview excerpt aired ⁠on ⁠Saturday.

Zelenskiy told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that it is “100% ​facts” that Iran has used Russian-made Shaheds to attack U.S. bases.

Shahed drones ​have been linked to other attacks on ⁠countries in ⁠the region, although ⁠their ​manufacturers are not always clear.

Iran pioneered the ​Shahed drone, ⁠a much cheaper alternative to expensive missiles. They first saw mass use in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ⁠where thousands of them have been launched by ⁠Russian forces since fall 2022, according to the Ukrainians.

Although Iran initially provided the drones, Russia now manufactures its own Shaheds. The armed forces of other countries have since adopted Shahed-type drones, including the ⁠U.S. military, which has said they are part of the current campaign against Iran.

(Reporting by Dan Catchpole ​in Seattle; Editing by Sergio Non ​and Jamie Freed)

Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

Photos You Should See – March 2026

TOPSHOT - Children play around an unexploded missile that landed in an open field on the outskirts of Qamishli, eastern Syria, on March 5, 2026. Gulf countries have been targeted by repeated waves of Iranian drone and missile attacks in retaliation for the massive US-Israeli air campaign. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP via Getty Images)

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