KYIV - Ukraine has deployed military units to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan to protect critical infrastructure from Iranian-made drones, according to National Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov.
The teams, totaling over 200 Ukrainian experts, operate under Kyiv’s National Security and Defense Council and use Ukrainian-developed drone interception technology. Gulf states, despite possessing advanced U.S. air defense systems, face shortages of expensive interceptors-making low-cost drone swarms from Iran a persistent threat.
Iran has used Shahed-type drones against regional targets, while Russia has launched nearly 60,000 such systems at Ukraine since its 2022 invasion. Kyiv responded by building its own counter-drone capabilities and now exports that expertise.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine seeks financial compensation and technology transfers in exchange for its services. He also said Ukrainian personnel are stationed at a U.S. base in Jordan, though former President Donald Trump has publicly denied needing Kyiv’s help.
Zelenskyy has tasked Umerov with evaluating partner nations’ readiness to join international efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, closed since late February amid escalating U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.