Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a weapons exchange to United States allies in the Middle East: a portion of their anti-aircraft defense missiles in exchange for the drone interceptors developed by Ukraine, to help them better protect themselves from Iranian drone attacks.
The strikes launched by Israel and the United States against Iran have triggered retaliatory attacks from Tehran throughout the region, including with drones.
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Russia has been using Iranian-designed Shahed drones in its invasion of Ukraine for four years, while Kiev has since developed a range of affordable and efficient drone interceptors - aerial devices designed to strike attacking drones in the air.
Ukraine claims that these systems are among the most advanced in the world.
At the same time, Ukraine is facing a shortage of PAC-3 missiles for its anti-aircraft defense systems - expensive ammunition used to intercept Russian missiles targeting cities and critical infrastructure.
"The number one issue is how to protect our skies. And we live with this question," said Zelensky, as quoted by The Guardian.
"Let's talk about the weapons we lack: PAC-3 missiles - if they offer them to us, we will provide them with interceptors," he added.
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