Iranian operators launch first shahed missiles against Ukraine – Zelenskyy

The first Shahed UAVs were launched by Iranian, not Russian, operators, as they needed training, and they learned in real war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

"We know how the first shaheds were launched. There were no Russian operators. There were operators from another country. The country from which the shaheds came. Because they had to be trained. And they trained them in a real war," he said at a press conference with Romanian President Nicusor Dan in Bucharest.

Zelenskyy noted that Iran has long been a Russian ally, having, in particular, carried out massive deliveries of drones to Russia and also provided them with missiles.