Zelensky has offered anti-drone weapons and technical knowledge to the US and its allies in the Middle East, and he has already sent More than 200 Ukrainian military specialists are in the region to help defend against Iranian drone attacks.
“We are working with many other countries – agreements are already in place,” Zelensky said, Noting that Ukraine’s counter-drone weapons were “far more cost-effective” than the interceptors being used by Gulf countries. “We do not want this terror by the Iranian regime against its neighbors to succeed.”
It’s a remarkable offering from a leader who is still fighting his own battles. It is also a logical and strategic game: Zelensky is trying to take advantage of Ukraine’s hard-won expertise and defense capabilities and get more support in return.
“The Ukrainians are offering to be part of the solution here,” said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (ret.), former commander of U.S. Forces Europe. cipher brief. “And it shows that the Russian narrative – that Russian victory is inevitable – is clearly not the case. If Ukraine is willing and able to export expertise and capacity to help the Gulf states, it undermines the narrative that somehow Ukrainians are on the verge of collapse.”
As Iranian attacks continue – its drones targeted critical oil infrastructure in three Gulf countries last week – some of the world’s richest countries are taking up Ukraine’s offer. It is a reversal of fortunes that reflects Ukraine’s evolution from a battered nation to a defense technology juggernaut.
“It’s a very generous offer from Ukraine to offer assistance while they themselves are facing daily attacks,” said Cory Schack, director of foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute. Cipher Brief. “It is also a demonstration that Ukraine wants to contribute to the security of partner states, and not just receive aid.”
Iran’s drone war
While the US and Israel say they have destroyed Iran’s ballistic missile capability, Iranian drones continue to threaten US military installations, Gulf oil facilities and vital shipping lanes.
Iran has launched even more 3,000 drones Ever since the war started. Its Shaheed drones were used in attacks on US embassies in Iraq saudi arabiaAnd one attack killed six US service members Kuwait. Iranian drones damaged oil infrastructure last week in qatarKuwait, Saudi Arabia and united arab emiratesand hit two ships in the persian gulf.
“They’ve hit oil and gas infrastructure, they’ve hit hotels, they’ve targeted embassies, they’ve gone after data centers,” said Stacey Pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security. cipher brief. “They are attacking the foundation of these states’ economies, which are built on trying to attract investment and infrastructure to the region.”
Experts are divided on how long Iran can continue its drone campaigns. Pre-war estimate of Iran’s drone arsenal taking from several thousand to several thousand 80,000. General Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told On March 10, journalists noted that Iranian launches of “unilateral attack drones have declined by 83 percent” since the beginning of the operation, but analysts say this does not mean a significant decline in the arsenal.
Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow in the Reimagining US Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center, recently said, “Conceiving that change in behavior as evidence that Iran’s drone capability has been destroyed risks creating a misleading picture of how much of the threat has actually been eliminated.” wrote. He said the decline in cadence may reflect a “strategic recalibration”, during which Iran is accumulating reserves and planning strategies for future attacks.
“Moscow is reportedly sharing with Tehran drone strategy Developed in Ukraine, it includes coordinated routing strategies designed to evade air defenses as well as overhead satellite imagery to improve targeting, Grieco said. “Tehran can use this time to learn, adapt and refine its tactics and strategy.”
Whatever the case, it is clear that even a low rate of Iran drone attacks could wreak havoc on the region and the global economy. And the economic benefits of Iran’s drone warfare are clear; A Shaheed-136 costs between $20,000 and $50,000, and while the US and its allies in the region have some of the world’s most sophisticated air defense technologies – notably the THAAD and Patriot systems – they are expensive interceptors designed to shoot down ballistic missiles. A single Patriot PAC-3 MSE, used by Persian Gulf states against Iranian missiles, Cost Approximately $3.8 million.
“You absolutely do not want to use a Patriot interceptor against a martyr drone,” Lt. Gen. Hodges said. “The Patriot cannot be the only means of defense… You save your Patriot for ballistic missiles.”
Ukraine’s “martyr-killer”
From the early days of its full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia has used Iranian Shaheed drones to devastating effect, and has produced its own version of the Shaheed with Iranian help. Russia often launches hundreds of such drones into Ukrainian territory in a single day.
The need to survive has driven a rapid pace of military innovation in Ukraine – including the development of a unique capability to counter drones. Ukraine is now producing systems that have knocked Shaheds out of the sky at high rates, and are much cheaper than other missile interceptors; Many Ukrainian models cost between $1,000 and $2,000.
“Innovation happens when militaries have immediate problems to solve,” said AEI’s Shake. “Ukraine is fighting for its life, and they have done a fantastic job of developing a domestic defense industry, while we failed to give them the capabilities and numbers of weapons they need. We are falling behind because we have not directed our defense industry with urgency.”
There are more than a dozen Ukrainian counter-drone systems, including Merops, A high-end model partially funded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt includes AI-powered autonomy and comes at a higher price than the others — $15,000, which is still significantly cheaper than the Patriot missile.
“They’re different ways of shooting drones out of the sky that are actually cheaper than expensive missiles,” Pettyjohn said of the Ukraine-made interceptors. “And they all provide you with protection.”
Perhaps the most famous of these systems is the “Sting” interceptor drone, developed by the Ukrainian manufacturer wild hornet. The Sting is a high-speed FPV interceptor drone specifically designed to hunt and destroy martens while in flight, and has earned the reputation inherent in its nickname: “Martyr-killer.”
“They are working incredibly well in Ukraine, where the adaptation cycle is measured in weeks, which explains their great value,” Shek said.. “As high-end U.S. air defenses become rarer, they will become incredibly valuable.”
ukraine plays its card
As President Zelensky understands more than most, it is not just about Ukraine showcasing its successful innovation; The Iran war has given his country a strategic opportunity – a chance to demonstrate and take advantage of technology suddenly in demand in its relations with American countries in the Middle East.
A week in the war, reuters informed The US and Qatar were in early-stage talks to acquire Ukrainian interceptor drones as a cheaper alternative to their Patriot missiles. Another Ukrainian delegation visited Abu Dhabi and Zelensky Confirmed That the US had asked Kiev for “specific support” in defending against martyr attacks on US targets in the Middle East.
“I have directed that the necessary resources be made available and Ukrainian experts remain in place to ensure the necessary security.” Zelensky said Of Qatar system. He also proposed exchanging Ukrainian interceptor drones for American Patriots – of which Kiev has been in acute shortage for several months.
US interest in Ukraine’s interceptors predates the war with Iran. In late February, Pentagon officials visited kiev Studying Ukraine’s counter-drone operations. Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401, said the aim was to learn from Ukraine’s experience in combating martyrs. “I did this to understand TTP – the tactics, techniques and procedures they are using very effectively,” Ross said.
During this time, axios informed Zelensky offered his drone interceptor to President Trump last August – in a White House presentation that included a map of the Middle East and a suggestion that Ukraine and the US cooperate to create “drone combat hubs” in Turkey, Jordan and the Persian Gulf states. The Trump administration reportedly rejected the proposal.
“Someone has decided not to buy it,” said an unnamed person. American official told axios. “If there was any strategic error or mistake that led to this (war in Iran), this is it,” the official said.
A White House spokesperson rejected that criticism, referring to the unnamed sources as “looking in from the outside”, and said that “Iranian retaliatory strikes have been reduced by 90% because their ballistic missile capabilities are being completely dismantled.”
A strategic victory for Kyiv?
Now, as Ukrainian technocrats and experts arrive in the Middle East, Zelensky is trying to make the most of the moment.
In addition to touting the value of the Sting and other Ukraine-made interceptors, he also highlighted Russia’s assistance to Iran – calling The two countries are “brothers in hatred” – and warned that as the war in the Middle East puts pressure on US missile supplies, that could create problems for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
For all these reasons, Zelensky has asked For financial compensation and technical help from the US and others in exchange for sharing Ukraine’s expertise.
“The Trump administration has been very transactional in terms of reaching out to different countries,” Pettyjohn said. “For Ukraine, getting something that the US wants instead of just being a recipient and always asking for support is an important step, and a way to show that value can flow back… They can use (drone interceptors) as a bargaining chip to supplement some other types of support that are more important.”
A year ago, Zelensky faced President Trump’s Oval Office lecture, which included the now-infamous warning: “You don’t have cards.”
Last week in Kiev, when Zelensky was presenting his drone defense technology, a journalist asked him, “Do you think Ukraine holds the cards now?”
“Now everyone understands, we have them,” Zelensky replied. “It’s a good feeling. It’s thanks to our troops, our talented people, and the many industries that have been developed since the beginning of the war. We have now reached a higher level.”
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