By Kontur | 2026-03-12

Ukrainian military teams arrived this week in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia to share expertise on countering Iranian drone threats, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Tuesday. A fourth team deployed to Jordan, where US military assets are based at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.

The deployments follow an uptick in Iranian drone and missile activity after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Iranian Shahed-136 drones have struck US military assets and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. Gulf Cooperation Council states confirmed more than 2,150 interceptions of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles and other aerial threats as of early March.

"We received a request from the United States for specific support in protection against 'shaheds' in the Middle East region," Zelenskyy wrote on X on March 5. "I gave instructions to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security."

US President Donald Trump said he would welcome the assistance.

"Certainly I'll take... any assistance from any country," Trump told Reuters when asked about Ukraine's offer to assist in countering Iranian drones.

Ukraine's hard-won expertise

Ukraine's qualifications are battlefield-tested. Russia deployed 54,000 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine in 2025 alone -- the same Iranian-designed platform now threatening US partners across the region. That sustained pressure forced Kyiv to innovate.

Ukrainian forces use networks of sensors and microphones that identify the Shahed's distinctive engine sound and alert interceptor teams in real time. Electronic jamming, anti-aircraft guns and fighter jets round out a layered defensive system developed under fire over four years of conflict.

Ukraine's counter-drone toolkit includes a new class of low-cost interceptor drones, priced at roughly $1,000 to $2,000 each.

Among them is the Bullet, developed by Ukrainian manufacturer General Cherry, which uses four electric motors in an X-shaped rotor configuration and AI-assisted guidance to reach speeds of up to 192 mph (309 kph).

The P1-Sun, produced by Skyfall, is a 3D-printed interceptor capable of flying at up to 186 mph (300 kph). Both are designed to collide mid-air with incoming Shaheds -- at a fraction of the cost of conventional missile interceptors.

"When it comes to shooting down massive Shahed attacks, only Ukrainian experience can really help with this today," Zelensky said.

Zelensky stressed that hardware alone is not enough. Effectiveness depends on the full system: trained operators, radar coverage, integrated software and battlefield-tested tactics.

A growing defense partnership

US Central Command has relied on Patriot batteries, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems and Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft to protect US troops and partners in the region. Ukrainian interceptors offer a cost-effective complement to those systems.

A Saudi defense company has signed a deal to purchase Ukrainian interceptor missiles, and sources in Ukraine's defense industry described ongoing negotiations on a broader arms agreement. Zelensky framed Ukraine's regional engagement as part of an expanding network of defense partnerships grounded in shared security interests.

As of Tuesday, 11 countries had requested Ukraine's counter-drone assistance, including states neighboring Iran, European nations and the United States. Ukraine's offer positions Kyiv as a capable and willing partner for US allies managing a shared threat.