Zelenskyy highlights Russia-Iran drone cooperation and Ukraine’s drone defence role
Ukraine has deployed 201 military experts to the Gulf region to help countries defend against Iranian Shahed drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday. Another 34 specialists are “ready to deploy,” he added.
Speaking to the UK Parliament, Zelenskyy said the experts are already in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and en route to Kuwait, working with local governments to prevent Iranian drone attacks.
“These are military experts who know how to defend against Shahed drones, which Russia has been using in its war against Ukraine since 2022,” Zelenskyy said. He added that Iranian drones in the region contain Russian components, highlighting Moscow’s cooperation with Tehran.
Zelenskyy also underscored Ukraine’s drone warfare capabilities, noting that Ukrainian drones have caused 90% of Russian losses on the front lines. The country now produces advanced drone interceptors, capable of defending allies in the Middle East, Europe, and the UK, with up to 2,000 interceptors per day.
During his visit, Zelenskyy met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO chief Mark Rutte, signing a defence partnership combining Ukraine’s drone expertise with the UK’s industrial capabilities to produce and supply drones and other advanced defence technologies.
“The regimes in Russia and Iran are brothers in hatred, and that is why they are brothers in weapons,” Zelenskyy said, stressing that Ukraine aims to prevent regimes built on aggression from succeeding anywhere.
The deployment comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, as countries face increased threats from Iranian drone attacks, prompting international efforts to strengthen regional air defences.
Source: Al Jazeera