Zelensky Says Ukrainian Experts Downed Iranian Drones Across Middle East
According to Zelensky, Ukraine deployed dozens of anti-drone personnel to at least four countries in the region following heightened tensions triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which were met with retaliatory drone attacks.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian military specialists have successfully intercepted Iranian-made drones in several Middle Eastern countries, as Kiev expands its security cooperation beyond Europe.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine deployed dozens of anti-drone personnel to at least four countries in the region following heightened tensions triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which were met with retaliatory drone attacks.
Speaking to journalists, Zelensky said Ukrainian teams demonstrated advanced interception capabilities. “We demonstrated to some countries how to work with interceptors. Did we destroy them? Yes, we did. Did we do it in just one country? No, in several,” he said in remarks released Friday.
He stressed that the mission went beyond training exercises, describing it as direct operational support to help partner countries build effective modern air defense systems. Ukrainian personnel were actively involved in shooting down Iranian “Shahed” drones, he added.
Earlier in the week, Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian drone units would remain in the region even after a temporary ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.
The Ukrainian president also highlighted the strategic benefits of the deployments, noting that Kyiv would receive various forms of compensation. These include interceptor systems to strengthen Ukraine’s own energy infrastructure defenses, financial arrangements, and potentially oil supplies.
The development underscores Ukraine’s growing role as a security partner in counter-drone warfare, leveraging its battlefield experience amid the ongoing war with Russia.