Russia and Ukraine are fighting a proxy war in the Middle East

Even as the U.S. and Iran continue their on-again off-again war, Russia and Ukraine are fighting a proxy war of their own in the Middle East.

As payback for Iran’s support of Russia’s drone manufacturing base, as well as its transfer of Shahed-16 drones, plus components for 1,300 additional drones, Moscow is now supplying Tehran with Russian-made copycat drones for attacks against the U.S. and Israel. According to Ukrainian sources Moscow, has also shared intelligence with Tehran, notably by providing targeting information against U.S. ships and aircraft, in addition to food and medicine.

For its part, Ukraine is furnishing assistance to the Arab Gulf states that have come under heavy Iranian attack. Ukraine has sent approximately 200 military advisors to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to support their defenses against missile and especially drone attacks.

Kyiv has drawn upon its own experience, developing low-cost drone interceptors which, with sufficient funding, it could produce at an astonishing daily rate of at least 2,000 units. Such interceptors have already significantly reduced the damage that Russian drones inflict on its own forces and civilian targets in Ukraine.

Moreover, in late March Ukraine signed ten-year defense agreements with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar that call for Kyiv to supply each state with a complete air defense system. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky put it when he announced the deal, it would furnish them with “not just interceptors alone, but also defence lines,........

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