Ukrainian experts trained in combating drones will arrive in the Middle East next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday, who hopes that in exchange for his expertise in combating Iranian Shahed drones also used by Russia in the war with Ukraine, he will receive from the US or the Gulf countries more American Patriot interceptor missiles, although their availability has decreased further after they were used intensively against ballistic missiles and of Iranian drones, reports AFP, according to Agerpres.
“I think next week, when the (Ukrainian anti-drone experts) will be there, they will assess the situation and help,” Zelenskiy said, without giving details, at a news conference in Kiev alongside Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.
The Ukrainian president had previously said that in the first three days of the war in the Middle East alone, more than 800 American Patriot interceptor missiles were consumed, more than Ukraine received in the four years of war with Russia.
He also stated that the United States asked Ukraine to help the Gulf countries with its experience in combating drones, a statement that was not confirmed by these countries or the US.
The Iranian Shahed drones, now used by Iran in its retaliation against the American-Israeli bombings and also by Russia in the war with Ukraine, cost only a few tens of thousands of dollars apiece, and the Patriot PAC-interceptor missiles $3 million apiece.
Therefore, the use of such interceptors against Iranian drones is neither economically viable nor rational from the point of view of managing munitions that are limited both in terms of available stocks and production capabilities, especially since Iran also counterattacks with ballistic missiles, which it has in abundance, and the US and Israel try to neutralize them by attacking their launchers and storage sites.
During the war with Russia, Ukraine developed very economical anti-drone interceptors designed to shoot down the Shahed drones and the Russian Geran versions of these Iranian drones, also accumulating experience in the use of these interceptors, experience that it is now trying to make available to the Gulf countries, with the hope of receiving Patriot interceptors in return, although their availability has significantly decreased after their intensive use in this new war.
“We would like this to be a mutually beneficial opportunity,” Zelenskiy insisted on this goal. He expressed concern that a prolongation of the war in the Middle East could cause Ukraine to receive less attention from its supporters.
“Less attention means less support. Less support means less air defense, and you know what that means for us,” the Ukrainian president said, referring to Russian airstrikes, which also target energy infrastructure.
