Zelensky says Ukraine knows the horror of Iranian drone attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Iran's aerial attack on Israel, saying his country was all too familiar with this form of threat.

"We in Ukraine know very well the horror of similar attacks by Russia, which uses the same 'Shahed' drones and Russian missiles, the same tactics of mass airstrikes," he said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday.

Every effort must be made to avoid further escalation in the Middle East, he said.

Iran is a threat to the entire Middle East, just as Russia threatens a larger conflict, Zelensky said. "The obvious collaboration between the two regimes in spreading terror must face a resolute and united response from the world."

He said it is "critical that the United States Congress make the necessary decisions to strengthen America's allies at this critical time."

Moscow's forces carry out airstrikes on Ukraine almost every night using dozens of Iranian Shahed combat drones, some of which are supplied by Iran, while Russia produces others.

Ukraine does not have sufficient weapons to fend off the attacks, partly because new supplies are being blocked by a domestic political dispute in the US.