Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine had assisted in downing drones in the Middle East during the Iran War in an X/Twitter post on Friday.
“We sent our military experts to the Middle East, including specialists in interceptor drones and electronic warfare,” said Zelensky, dubbing the operation a “success.”
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian personnel had operated in several countries in the region.
Zelensky also noted the significance of having downed drones with jet engines.
“Now it is only a matter of time,” Zelensky wrote, “before we begin mass production of interceptors that will destroy drones with jet engines.”
Following speculation on Ukraine’s defensive aid to allies during the beginning of the war, Zelensky said on March 5 that the US had requested aid against Iran’s Shahed drones, ordering “Ukrainian specialists” to the region.
Since the war broke out on February 28, Iran has launched thousands of suicide drones at Israel and Gulf countries, most commonly the Shahed 136. Roughly three weeks into the war, Zelensky told journalists that Ukraine had dispatched 228 specialists to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, Reuters reported.
Russia's use of Shahed drone in Ukraine war
Russia has used the Iranian-created drone to attack targets in Ukraine, leading the country to develop new methods to counter them. In recent years, Ukrainian drone-makers have unveiled and combat-tested several drone interceptors that can sometimes be 3D-printed and cost a fraction of traditional anti-air systems.
Last month, Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said in a statement that defensive drones accounted for approximately 70% of Shahed interceptions in the Kyiv region. Further, in October 2025, Zelensky said that interceptor drones had a 68% accuracy in Ukraine. According to UAF statistics, Ukraine’s Air Force has intercepted close to 45,000 Shahed drones during the course of the war.
According to Reuters, Zelensky seeks to sign a major drone deal with US President Donald Trump, who has been downplaying Ukraine’s ability to help the US in downing drones. Zelensky expressed doubt about the chances of such a deal, telling reporters that he initially “wanted to sign a deal worth about 35–50 billion dollars."