Illia Kabachynskyi

In just a few years, Ukraine’s drones have gone from improvisation to striking Russia’s oil refineries 1,500 kilometers away, destroying tens of billions of dollars’ worth of enemy and killing hundreds of thousands of invading troops. Some “housewives,” indeed.

For a week straight, Ukrainian drones have struck Russia’s Baltic oil ports thousands of kilometers from the front—disrupting up to 30% of its oil exports and increasing pressure on Moscow to end the war.

In 2026, Russia has bled troops faster than it can recruit, as the failed spring offensive and Ukrainian drones drive losses of around 1,500 soldiers a day.

Russia is a major military partner for Iran, supplying Tehran with fighter jets as well as weapons for them, including missiles, leaked documents reveal. Their purpose is clear—to destroy enemy aircraft.

Ukraine’s goal is not simply to supply drones to the Middle East, but to build comprehensive defense systems—sharing with partner countries the expertise it has gained over four years of full-scale war. Relevant agreements are already being signed with the Gulf nations.

The defense ministries of Ukraine and Saudi Arabia have agreed on defense cooperation. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to share its expertise and systems with Saudi Arabia and to work together to strengthen the protection of human life.