SvennoJ said:
Playing with fire Ukraine sends more than 200 experts to Gulf to combat Iranian drones
Ukraine has sent more than 200 experts to help Gulf countries defend themselves against Iranian drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week.
The Shahed-type drones Iran has rained down on Gulf states are the same type it sold to Russia in 2022. Ukraine has a success rate close to 90 percent in shooting them down.
Kyiv is now selling that know-how to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
US-allied countries in the Gulf have been vulnerable to Iranian drones because they prioritised high-altitude systems to stop ballistic missiles, ignoring low-altitude threats, say analysts. Cost-benefit analysis is pretty linear: US ballistic interceptors cost up to $10m a shot, compared with roughly $3,000 for a Ukrainian interceptor drone, to shoot down a $50,000 Shahed.
Ukraine has deployed interceptor units to safeguard critical and civilian infrastructure in five Middle Eastern countries, Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov has said. “Work is also underway to expand coverage areas,” Umerov wrote on X.
Ukraine is in reach of Iran's ballistic missiles, but they're banking on Iran not willing to lose the popular support they have now by bombing Ukraine. Plus as long as it stays with defense Iran most likely won't retaliate. (Although Russia would be more than happy to provide Iran targeting coordinates)
Plus they should be effective as Ukraine has been fighting Iranian designed drones for years. But depends on what newer models Iran has made and not shard with Russia. It could also backfire and Iran using missiles instead of less damaging drones to get what they want. US is prioritizing Israel with any remaining interceptors.
In the end I don't really get the strategy. US/Israel are not winning this war. The longer it drags on, the more benefit Russia has from higher oil prices and lifting sanctions, the fewer weapons and intelligence Ukraine gets as US is bogged down in the ME while their radars etc get destroyed.
But no doubt Trump demanded help for all the support they have given Ukraine. |
Ukraine is probably counting on US support and wants all the goodwill it can get. Also, it's possible Ukraine also gets paid for this. I don't really think there's much risk for Ukraine in this, as long as they stay on the defense, but there's definitely some wins to be had.
