- Ukraine will send military experts to Arabian Gulf countries on March 9 to share operational experience in detecting and destroying drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
- Zelensky said several Gulf states are interested in Ukraine’s interceptor drones and Kyiv is prepared to sell units that are not required by Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine will send a group of military specialists to the Arabian Gulf on Monday, March 9, to share battlefield experience in countering unmanned aerial vehicles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in remarks to journalists while awaiting the arrival of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in Ukraine.
The deployment will involve Ukrainian military personnel and defense experts who will provide technical knowledge on detecting and destroying drones, based on operational experience gained during the war with Russia.
The initiative reflects growing international interest in Ukraine’s counter-drone expertise, particularly among countries in the Gulf region that face increasing threats from unmanned aerial systems. Ukrainian officials say the training mission will focus on practical methods used by Ukrainian forces to intercept hostile drones.
Speaking briefly with reporters, Zelensky said the first group of specialists would depart on Monday and indicated that additional teams could follow.
“Ukrainian experts are flying to the Arabian Gulf to share experience in destroying drones,” Zelensky said.
The president noted that the effort would focus on military expertise and practical defense capabilities developed during the ongoing conflict. According to Zelensky, several countries in the region have expressed interest in Ukrainian technologies designed to intercept unmanned aerial vehicles.
During the exchange with journalists, Zelensky was asked whether Ukraine would be willing to export interceptor drones developed during the war.
“The volume that our forces do not use, we are ready to sell. In principle, it is quite large. Three countries are definitely ready to buy,” Zelensky said.
He later clarified the initiative during a briefing alongside the Dutch prime minister, emphasizing that the immediate focus of the deployment involves technical assistance and training rather than formal defense contracts.
“With the appropriate protective capabilities they will be sent — what I told you. Many things are being discussed in this dialogue. It is still too early to talk about other details. I think next week, when the experts are on site, they will help. Because they are going there with the capabilities to help,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine’s counter-drone expertise has developed rapidly since Russia began large-scale use of unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance and strike missions during the invasion. Ukrainian forces have built layered defenses combining electronic warfare systems, mobile air defense units, interceptor drones, and small-arms teams designed to detect and destroy hostile UAVs.
These methods have been used extensively against Iranian-designed Shahed loitering munitions deployed by Russian forces as well as various reconnaissance drones used along the front lines.
The Ukrainian military has also developed interceptor drones specifically designed to destroy hostile UAVs in flight. These systems are typically smaller unmanned aircraft equipped with sensors and guidance systems allowing them to intercept incoming drones before they reach their intended targets.
Although Ukraine has not disclosed technical details about these interceptor systems, officials have indicated that the technology has drawn attention from foreign defense partners interested in improving protection against drone attacks.
Countries in the Gulf region have increasingly focused on counter-drone capabilities in response to the growing use of unmanned systems in regional conflicts. Drones have been used in attacks on military facilities, energy infrastructure, and maritime targets across the Middle East in recent years.