Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Kyiv is ready to assist countries facing threats from Iranian-made drones, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, by sharing its battlefield experience and air defence expertise.
In a post on X on Monday, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s years of confronting drone attacks during its war with Russia have given it valuable knowledge that could help other nations strengthen their air defence systems. “Everyone can now see that Ukraine’s experience in defense is, in many respects, irreplaceable,” he wrote, adding that Kyiv is prepared to cooperate with partners that have supported Ukraine throughout the conflict.
He also called for deeper collaboration in developing Europe’s collective defence capabilities amid rising security challenges.
Ukraine began facing Iranian-manufactured drones in late 2022 after Russia acquired them from Tehran more than a year into its full-scale invasion. Since then, Russia has expanded its use of unmanned aerial vehicles in sustained and often large-scale attacks.
According to Ukraine’s defence intelligence, Russian forces initially launched about 30 Shahed drones per month. However, the volume increased significantly over time, with Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy chief of Ukraine’s defence intelligence, saying that Russia deployed as many as 802 drones in July last year — describing the figure as substantial.
Moscow continues to rely heavily on coordinated drone strikes, prompting Ukraine to refine its interception systems and counter-drone strategies as part of its broader wartime defence efforts.