A firefighter works at the site of a House of Culture hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine August 18, 2022. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova

Israel is reportedly sharing with Ukraine “basic intelligence” about Iranian-made drones used by Russia to hit civilian infrastructures and energy installations, according to a report in the New York Times.

Citing a senior Ukrainian official, the Times also reported that a private Israeli company was providing the war-torn country with satellite images of Russian military positions.

The report comes as more than a hundred Russian cruise missiles and 50 combat drones struck Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and energy installations in less than two days this week. On Wednesday, Ukraine’s military shot down more than ten Iranian-made drones sent by Russia, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Moscow has been deploying Iranian-made Shahed “suicide” drones in its war against Ukraine, according to Zelensky.

On Monday, Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid “strongly” condemned Russian attacks on the civilian population in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine. Since Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine in February Israel has declined to provide military aid to the war-torn country limiting its assistance to humanitarian aid. Zelensky has repeatedly criticised Israel for failing to send Kyiv anti-missile systems, such as the Iron Dome defense system, to help counter Russian attacks.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk this week thanked Lapid for his support for his country and uttered a personal appeal to the Israeli government: “Help us save the lives of our women and children with anti-missile systems and other defense systems.”

Relations between Ukraine and Israel have, however, been strained since Russia’s invasion earlier this year.

Israel has condemned Moscow and provided humanitarian aid and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had sought to act as a mediator to try and bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, while also balancing regional security interests implicating Moscow.

Earlier this week, Ukraine’s envoy to Israel said in an interview to i24 News that while he knows Jerusalem to be “one of our biggest supporters,” he is “exhausted” from “begging Israel to change its policy” of possible military aid to the war-torn country.