Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine has deployed 201 anti-drone specialists across the Middle East to help counter Iranian-made Shahed drones, with an additional 34 experts on standby
According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian teams are already operating in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, while others are en route to Kuwait, with plans to expand cooperation to more countries
Speaking at the UK parliament alongside Mark Rutte, Zelenskyy said the deployment was made at the request of partners, including the United States, as part of broader defence cooperation
He warned that Iranian Shahed drones are designed for low-cost attacks on high-value infrastructure, making them a significant strategic threat
Zelenskyy also claimed that Iran has shared drone technology with Russia, which has since enhanced the systems. He added that evidence suggests drones used in the region now contain Russian components
Highlighting the economic imbalance, he noted that a Shahed drone can cost around $50,000, while intercepting it may require missiles costing up to $4 million or the use of advanced aircraft
Zelenskyy stressed that the situation in the Middle East is closely linked to the war in Ukraine, warning that growing cooperation between Iran and Russia makes the threat global
Source: TRT World
