Saudi oil company Saudi Aramco is negotiating with Ukrainian companies to purchase interceptor drones that can protect its fields from Iranian attacks, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.
Saudi Aramco is discussing purchasing products from Ukrainian companies SkyFall and Wild Hornets. Their drones crash into enemy drones or explode near them.
According to Wall Street Journal sources, the oil company is trying to buy Ukrainian drones before the Saudi government and competitors in the Middle East, such as Qatar.
According to one of the newspaper’s interlocutors, the Saudi authorities also negotiated with the Ukrainian company Phantom Defense, which produces electronic warfare systems.
It is unclear whether manufacturers of such equipment and drones will be able to source enough of their products for export and whether Kiev will allow this against the backdrop of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war.
Since 2022, Russia has been attacking Ukraine almost daily with Shahed drones developed in Iran.
Interest in Ukrainian drone interception systems has increased among Middle Eastern countries after Iranian drones began attacking these countries’ civilian and energy infrastructure. This is how Iran responds to the Israeli and American attacks on its territory.
father words President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky and three groups of Ukrainian experts, including military officers and engineers, went to the Middle East to negotiate cooperation between the two countries. He said the previous day that negotiations were continuing, including with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
In addition, Ukraine sent experts and interceptor drones to protect US military bases in Jordan from Iranian drones.
Saudi Aramco is the world’s largest oil exporter.