Iran schlägt US-Stützpunkte präziser als je zuvor: Das Geheimnis der unsichtbaren Augen und die chinesische Spur

A former Russian officer, who graduated from the military academy in Saint Petersburg, once swore allegiance to his country. Now he fights against its army and collaborates with individuals the Russian authorities have declared enemies. He told the Wall Street Journal he broke his oath, stating he pledged to defend freedom, independence, and the constitutional order, but Putin destroyed all three. His relationship with the Russian state began changing in 2022, after Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Increasingly, he opposed the conduct of the Russian military and political decisions made by the Kremlin. Rather than simply leaving the military, he chose a far more dangerous path. He secretly collaborated with Ukrainian forces and provided them information on the positions and movements of Russian units. According to the Wall Street Journal, his collaboration led to several deadly attacks on Russian soldiers. One of the earliest and most impactful attacks he was reportedly involved in occurred during the gathering of Russian troops. The officer provided exact coordinates of the location where Russian units had assembled. Just before the attack, he pretended to have stomach problems and retreated into a nearby forest. Shortly afterward, the area was struck by Ukrainian missiles. According to the Wall Street Journal, 68 Russian soldiers were killed in the attack, including Colonel Gusein Musayev, who was reportedly one of the more significant targets for Ukrainian forces. This attack marked the beginning of an extensive secret collaboration between the Russian officer and the Ukrainian military. In the following months, he reportedly provided additional information that enabled Ukrainian forces to launch attacks on Russian positions and personnel. Based on his information, more than 300 Russian soldiers were killed, according to the Wall Street Journal. The information he provided was particularly crucial in battles around Vuhledar in eastern Ukraine, according to the German magazine Focus. The city and its surroundings became scenes of prolonged and extremely bloody clashes, in which Russian forces attempted to break through Ukrainian defensive positions. According to the Wall Street Journal, the data from the Russian informant helped the Ukrainian military limit Russian advances in this region. His role was not limited to providing information on individual soldiers. He reportedly participated in broader sabotage activities aimed at weakening Russian military capabilities. Such activity was extremely risky for him. If Russian authorities discovered his collaboration with Ukraine, he could face the harshest consequences for treason or espionage. Despite this, he remained in the Russian military long enough to continue providing information. After a period of secret collaboration, the former officer left the Russian ranks permanently in July 2024 and defected to the Ukrainian side. There, he joined Russian volunteer units fighting against Vladimir Putin's army. According to the Wall Street Journal, he no longer holds a military rank and lives much more modestly than before. He keeps all his wealth in two bags, and his social media accounts take him to dangerous areas between opposing armies. In his work, he uses equipment to protect against drones, as he needs to safeguard communication devices required by his units. Despite the dangers, he says he has found a new family among the Russian volunteers fighting on the Ukrainian side. His story is not unique. According to the Wall Street Journal, networks of Russian defectors and informants operate in Ukraine, providing Ukrainian forces with data on the Russian military. Some choose to collaborate due to opposition to the war and Putin’s regime, others for personal reasons or financial incentives. Individual informants can earn approximately 3,400 euros monthly for their work. Russian authorities are aware of soldiers who switch sides or collaborate with Ukrainian forces, though specific actions taken against such individuals remain unclear. Separately, Iranian attacks on U.S. bases have become increasingly precise, according to reports. This unexpected improvement in accuracy is believed to have been aided significantly by China. Satellite images and intelligence data provided by Chinese groups would allow Iranian forces to enhance their ability to identify bases, ships, and other targets. According to a CNN investigation, Chinese support contributed both to Iranian operations in the Strait of Hormuz and to attacks against U.S. military installations in the Middle East. A notable case was the July attack on a U.S. base in Jordan, where three American soldiers died. Satellite images provided by Chinese groups allowed Iranians to achieve a level of precision that, according to U.S. officials, would otherwise have been beyond their reach. The value of Chinese intelligence becomes evident especially when looking at the Strait of Hormuz. Geospatial data would have enabled Iranian forces to track the movements of U.S. ships and escort units more accurately. For Iran, the benefit lies in being able to concentrate a high number of unmanned aircraft and rely on their sensors to detect the thermal signature of ship hulls. It appears that access to updated information on vessel movements made this tactic more effective. Chinese support, however, is not limited to satellite images. The Dragon reportedly provided technical assistance to Tehran, while Russia contributed to improving missile and drone guidance systems. The distinction is important: it does not necessarily involve direct involvement of the Chinese government. U.S. officials admit it is difficult to determine how much Beijing knows or orders versus what arises from independent activities of Chinese groups and companies. The United States is concerned primarily by low- and medium-altitude systems, which are harder to intercept with costly defenses designed for higher altitude threats. Meanwhile, Washington has already sanctioned three Chinese satellite companies accused of supplying imagery usable for Iranian operations. U.S. officials have not ruled out that the issue was addressed during meetings between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The White House has called any direct or indirect Chinese support to Iran unacceptable. Beijing claims it respects its international obligations and opposes using the conflict to target China.