Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern over the events in the Middle East in his video address, highlighting the role of the Iranian regime as an ally of Russia in the war against Ukraine. According to the head of state, it was the Iranian authorities who decided to cooperate with Russian President Vladimir Putin, supplying the Russian Federation with “Shahed” drones and other military technologies.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Iran’s Interaction with Russia and Its Consequences for Ukraine
Zelensky emphasized that the Iranian side did not limit itself to just drones but also provided Russia with other types of weapons. During the full-scale war against Ukraine, Russian forces have used over 57,000 “Shahed” strike drones to attack Ukrainian cities, civilians, and energy infrastructure.
“Other nations have also suffered from terror. Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of the terrorist regime, to free themselves and guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terror originating from Iran”
The President stressed that Ukraine’s position regarding the situation in the Middle East is already well known to the international community.
Escalation Between Israel and Iran
On the morning of February 28, Israeli military forces struck Iranian territory, after which explosions were heard in the country’s capital, Tehran. The Israel Defense Forces reported that the attack was sudden, and citizens were sent warnings urging them to stay near protected shelters. In a statement, the military noted that this was a preventive measure in case of a possible missile launch towards Israel.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the start of a “preventive military operation” against Iran aimed at eliminating the potential threat from Tehran and preventing attacks on Israeli territory.
The U.S. confirmed its participation in the operation against Iran, emphasizing that the goal of the airstrikes is to undermine Iran’s security infrastructure. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that America has launched a military campaign to eliminate threats from the Iranian regime, describing the country’s leadership as a brutal group of people whose activities pose a danger to the United States, its military bases, and allies.
In response, Iranian forces launched missiles towards Israel. According to the Israel Defense Forces, warning sirens about missile danger sounded in various regions of the country. The military reported that defense systems were working to intercept the threat, and the rear command promptly sent notifications to the mobile phones of residents in dangerous areas.
It later became known that Iran had launched missile strikes on military facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain, and explosions were also recorded in Kuwait. Local media reported significant traffic jams on the exits from Dubai. Bahrain described the attacks as “treacherous” and confirmed that the strikes were aimed at infrastructure facilities.
The European Union expressed serious concern over the recent events surrounding Iran and Israel and called on the parties to avoid further escalation. In a joint statement by European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, it was noted that the EU is in close contact with partners in the region and is closely monitoring the situation.