Ukrainian military personnel have shot down Iranian-designed Shahed drones in multiple Middle Eastern countries during the Iran war, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president described the operations as part of a broader effort to help partners counter the same weapons used by Russia in Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky made his first public acknowledgement of the operations on Wednesday in remarks to reporters that were embargoed until Friday.
He said Ukrainian forces took part in active operations abroad using domestically produced, battle-tested interceptor drones.
“This was not about a training mission or exercises, but about support in building a modern air defence system that can actually work,” the Ukrainian leader said.
Ukraine took part in the defensive operations before the tentative ceasefire in the Middle East was reached by Iran, the US and Israel this week.
Mr Zelensky did not identify the countries involved but said Ukrainian personnel operated across several nations, helping strengthen their air defence systems. He previously said 228 Ukrainian experts were deployed in the region.
In exchange, Ukraine is receiving weapons to protect its energy infrastructure, along with oil, diesel and, in some cases, financial arrangements, he said.
He added that the agreements would bolster Ukraine’s energy stability and described the partnerships as something that would “be marketed” as Kyiv seeks to formalise and expand its defence export role.
“We are helping strengthen their security in exchange for contributions to our country’s resilience,” he said. “This is far more than simply receiving money.”