Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed Ukrainian forces shot down Iranian-designed Shahed drones in multiple Middle Eastern nations in the US and Israel’s war on Iran, in a rare disclosure of Kyiv’s involvement in the conflict.
Mr Zelensky said the operations were a part of a broader effort to help partners counter the same weapons used by Russia in Ukraine.
This marks the first public acknowledgement of Kyiv’s aerial assistance to West’s ally nations from Ukraine’s war-time president.
Ukrainian forces, Mr Zelensky said, took part in active operations abroad using domestically produced, battle-tested interceptor drones.
Earlier in March, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine was assisting five Middle Eastern and Gulf nations in countering Iranian drone attacks.
He also revealed that the US and European countries had requested similar support, owing to Kyiv’s growing expertise in drone defence, acquired in the more than four-year-old war against Russia’s incoming aerial barrages of drones and missiles.
At least 228 Ukrainian experts in drone defence and military specialists were deployed in the region to help out countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.
Ukraine is now a leading producer of cheap, effective, battle-tested drone interceptors among a range of aerial defence systems which have proven crucial in its defence against Russia’s full-scale invasion.