Zelensky confirms Ukrainians helped down Shahed drones in Middle East
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President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine has deployed military experts to multiple Middle Eastern countries, helping shoot down Iranian-made Shahed drones in exchange for fuel and interceptor drones.
Speaking to journalists at a closed-door briefing on April 8, Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian specialists, including drone interceptor and electronic warfare experts, have been actively operating in the region, going beyond an advisory role.
"Did we shoot things down? Yes, we did. Did we shoot them down in one country? No, in several," Zelensky said.
"This is not about a training mission, not about drills — it's about supporting the creation of a modern air defense system that can actually work."
Zelensky said Ukrainian experts were able to quickly advise partner countries on strengthening their existing air defense architecture, and in some cases provided direct assistance during active defense operations.
He also added that Ukraine shot down jet-powered drones as well.
"We showed that it works," Zelensky said. "Now it's only a matter of time before we mass-produce interceptors that can destroy jet-powered drones."
Ukraine is now negotiating ten-year security agreements with several Gulf states off the back of that cooperation. Zelensky named Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain as countries where talks are ongoing, in addition to others with whom agreements have already been reached.
In exchange for Ukraine's expertise and support, Kyiv is set to receive interceptor drones for protecting its energy infrastructure, as well as oil and diesel fuel, some of which will be sent to European refineries for processing.
"We are helping strengthen their security in exchange for a contribution to our country's resilience, and that is significantly more than simply receiving money," Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president has toured the Gulf region in recent weeks — meeting leaders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE — as Tehran retaliates against US-Israeli operations with drone and missile strikes across the region.
