Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Kyiv is prepared to assist countries facing threats from Iranian-made drones, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, by sharing its battlefield experience and defensive expertise.
In a post on X on Monday, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s years of confronting drone attacks during its war with Russia have equipped it with critical knowledge that could help other nations strengthen their air defense systems.
“Everyone can now see that Ukraine’s experience in defense is, in many respects, irreplaceable,” he wrote, noting that Kyiv is ready to cooperate with partners that have supported Ukraine throughout the conflict.
He also called for deeper collaboration in building Europe’s collective defense capabilities.
Ukraine began facing Iranian-manufactured drones in late 2022 after Russia acquired them from Tehran more than a year into its full-scale invasion. According to Ukrainian defense intelligence, Moscow’s deployment of attack drones has expanded significantly since then.
Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy chief of Ukraine’s defense intelligence, disclosed that Russia initially launched about 30 Shahed drones per month during the early phase of their deployment.
However, he said the scale has since grown substantially.
“The largest number of UAVs that the Russian Federation used in July last year was 802,” Skibitskyi said, describing the figure as significant.
Russia has continued to rely heavily on drone strikes, often deploying large numbers in coordinated attacks. In response, Ukraine has refined its air defense systems and counter-drone strategies, experience Zelenskyy now says could benefit other countries facing similar threats.
