Ukraine is emerging as a global drone export powerhouse, coming fresh off vast experience gained in over four years of war with Russia - or at least that's the image Kiev is seeking to present to the world.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday thatnearly 20 countries are pursuing drone agreements with Ukraine, with four deals already finalized.
Agreements already confirmed include deals withGermany,Norway and the Netherlands, alongside long-term security partnerships with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates which were inked in late March as Zelensky personally toured the Gulf, even amid the ongoing Iran war, according toReuters.
Zelensky has been offering Ukraine's services and drone supplies to Gulf countries as a cheaper, effective alternative to dwindling and costly American-supplied anti-air defenses.
"Nearly 20 countries are currently involved at various stages: 4 agreements have already been signed, and thefirst contracts under these agreements are now being prepared," Zelensky has newly proclaimed on X.
"Ukraine has already started to receive the necessary volume of fuel thanks to the agreements," Zelensky also stated. Interestingly, he's also of late been pitching being a supplier of battlefield robots, as we'vedetailed before.
Starting in April, Zelensky had hailed that Ukrainian personnel were able to help partners build effective air defenses using interceptor drones to combat Iranian Shaheds.
Low-cost interceptor drones deployed by Ukraine are among the most effective ways to combat the inexpensive $20,000 Shaheds, as a war of attrition makes little economic sense when interceptor missiles cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
Ukraine has had four years to develop low-cost one-way attack drones and interceptors during its war with Russia. Now, this technology is clearly being exported across multiple theaters in Eurasia.
Zelensky did not identify the countries or the exact interceptor drones used in his comments at the time, but it is possible that Octopus-100 autonomous interceptor drones were deployed.
Source: ZeroHedge News
