KYIV: Ukraine has deployed army items to 5 Center Jap nations to assist defend essential and civilian infrastructure in opposition to drones, Ukrainian safety council secretary Rustem Umerov mentioned on Friday (Mar 20) after visiting the area.
He mentioned the groups had been despatched to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, which have come under fire during the Iran war. Additional steps for “long-term safety cooperation” have been outlined with every of the 5 nations, he mentioned, with out giving particulars.
“Ukrainian army specialists are working in every of those nations underneath the coordination of the Nationwide Safety and Protection Council,” Umerov wrote on X.
Kyiv has mentioned practically a dozen nations have sought its assist and recommendation in defending in opposition to low cost kamikaze drones, which Iran is utilizing in opposition to its Gulf neighbours. Russia has launched comparable drones at Ukraine since its 2022 invasion, and Kyiv has developed its personal superior interceptor drone capabilities.
Though Gulf states function refined US-made air defence programs, the missiles they use are briefly provide they usually price rather more than Iran’s Shahed drones.
Moscow has bombarded Ukraine with practically 60,000 Shaheds and comparable programs. It initially purchased hundreds of them from Iran, earlier than establishing its personal manufacturing amenities to make them underneath licence. Ukraine has additionally launched drone assaults in opposition to Russia, though on a smaller scale.
UKRAINE WANTS MONEY AND TECHNOLOGY IN RETURN
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned final week Kyiv needed cash and expertise in return for its assist in the Center East, though this nonetheless needed to be agreed.
Zelenskyy has mentioned the US was among the many nations that sought Kyiv’s assist, and that Ukrainian specialists had been despatched to a US army base in Jordan. He mentioned there have been over 200 Ukrainian army consultants within the Center East.
US President Donald Trump, who has a rocky relationship with Zelenskyy, has denied that Washington wants Kyiv’s assist in downing drones.
