Ukraine to Provide Defence Support to Middle Eastern States Amidst Iran Conflict

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Ukraine has developed low-cost drones to counter Russian attacks, which have been supplemented by imported Iranian Shahed drones. The country has offered defense swap assistance to Gulf states.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv is willing to provide defensive systems and civilian support to countries in the Middle East where US military personnel are deployed. In exchange, Ukraine seeks advanced US defensive systems to counter Iranian drones.

The conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel has escalated over the past 10 days, with strikes launched on Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has responded with attacks on Israel and US military assets in several Gulf states.

The US has asked Ukraine for assistance in defending its allies against Iranian missile attacks on infrastructure and military assets in the region. The country is currently using air defense systems such as the Patriot, THAAD batteries, and AWACS aircraft to intercept incoming drones and missiles.

Ukraine’s president confirmed that the country received a request from the US for support in protecting against “shahed” drones in the Middle East. Shahed drones are Iranian-designed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are low-cost compared to US interceptor missiles, costing around $20,000-$35,000 each.

In response to the conflict, Ukraine’s domestic arms industry has developed low-cost interceptor drones priced at roughly $1,000 to $2,000. The country is now mass-producing these drones to counter Russian attacks with imported Iranian Shahed-136s.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has stated that his country has experience in combating “shahed” drones and is willing to provide technical expertise to help Middle Eastern countries defend their territories.

Source: Al Jazeera