Ukrainian forces shot down Iranian Shahed drones in the Middle East, the country’s president said, as countries turn to Ukrainian expertise in counter-drone warfare.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters this week that Ukrainian personnel have shot down drones in multiple countries as Ukraine looks to help friendly nations now seeking Ukrainian knowledge amid Iranian attacks resembling the Russian ones Ukraine has been fighting for years.
“Did we shoot things down? Yes, we did. Did we shoot them down in one country? No, in several,” Zelensky said during a closed-door briefing, according to a report from the local media outlet Kyiv Post.
He said that Ukrainian forces took part in operations using domestically made interceptor drones, a technology that Ukraine has pioneered to stop Russian drone attacks and that partners are now deeply interested in acquiring.
Ukraine has been able to offer guidance to partner countries on strengthening their existing air defense networks and participate in active operations.
“This was not about a training mission or exercises, but about support in building a modern air defense system that can actually work,” Zelenskyy said. He said that Ukrainian forces were also able to defeat jet-powered drones.
A fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran went into effect on Tuesday, but over the five weeks prior, Iranian forces facing bombardments by the US and Israel launched numerous missiles and Shahed one-way attack drones at countries across the Middle East. Deeply familiar with this threat, Ukraine was quick to offer support and assistance.
Iran’s Shahed drone is a loitering munition that carries a deadly explosive payload. Russia has used this weapon against Ukraine, as well as a domestically developed version, the Geran.
Zelenskyy did not say which countries his forces helped or which interceptor drones were used.
A number of interceptor drone companies, including Ukrainian firms and foreign companies that make interceptor drones used by Ukrainian forces, have told Business Insider that they’ve seen a surge in interest since the war with Iran began in late February.
The US and its Middle East allies have advanced air defenses, but drone warfare is exposing a cost problem. Ukraine’s cheaper, scalable interceptors are proving critical: a Shahed drone can cost around $50,000, while a Patriot PAC-3 interceptor is about $3.7 million. Using high-end missiles to shoot down low-cost drones isn’t sustainable.
Adversaries can send waves of cheaper drones in an attempt to exhaust traditional air defenses. But most interceptors in Ukraine are sold for around $6,000 or less, changing the cost dynamic entirely.
Ukraine has been keen to help friendly partner nations in the Middle East struggling with this challenge, including by sending drone warfare experts to the region. Zelesnkyy said last month that multiple countries had asked for help, and that Ukraine could supply partners with at least 1,000 interceptor drones a day if they helped with funding their production.
He called Ukraine’s approach “far more cost-effective than anything our partners use today.”
Helping partner countries serves Ukraine’s interests as it seeks deeper military integration with allies and continued support against Russia. Ukrainian companies and troops also frame it as payback — a way to return the help they’ve received.
Zelenskyy said this week that in return, Ukraine is receiving weapons to help defend its energy infrastructure from Russian strikes, along with oil, diesel, and additional financial support, the Associated Press reported.
“We are helping strengthen their security in exchange for contributions to our country’s resilience,” he said. “This is far more than simply receiving money.”
Zelenskyy said last month that with cooperation and investment, Ukraine can help a host of nations: “If a ‘Shahed’ needs to be stopped in the Emirates, we can do it. If it needs to be stopped in Europe or the United Kingdom, we can do it.”
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