Ukraine, Mar 2: The United Kingdom has announced plans to draw on Ukrainian battlefield expertise to help Gulf allies counter Iranian drone attacks, as tensions escalate following recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran.Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Ukrainian specialists would work alongside British experts to advise partners in the Gulf on intercepting Iranian drones. He stressed that Britain would not participate in offensive operations against Iran but would maintain defensive support in the region.“We are not joining these strikes,” Starmer said on Sunday evening. “But we will continue our defensive actions and bring in Ukrainian experts, together with our own, to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.”Ukrainian officials have not yet publicly responded to the announcement. However, Kyiv’s experience in countering Iranian-designed drones during Russia’s full-scale invasion has made it a leading source of practical knowledge on air defence tactics against such systems.
Russia’s missile surgeThe announcement comes as new analysis indicates a sharp escalation in Russia’s missile campaign against Ukraine. According to figures compiled by Agence France-Presse using Ukrainian air force data, Russia launched 288 missiles in February — more than in any month since at least the beginning of 2023. That marks an increase of more than 100% compared with January.Long-range drone attacks also continued at a relentless pace. More than 5,000 drones were reportedly launched in February alone, targeting cities and energy infrastructure in particular. Ukrainian officials say the sustained strikes are aimed at crippling power supplies and undermining civilian morale during the winter months.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over the weekend that Russia has fired more than 57,000 Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones at Ukraine since the start of the war, underscoring Tehran’s role in supporting Moscow’s campaign.In his nightly address, Zelenskyy argued that the recent strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel could represent a turning point. He said Iran had “predetermined the way it is treated” by supplying attack drones to Russia and contributing to instability across the region.“It is important that this chance for changes in Iran be used properly,” he said, suggesting that developments inside the country should ultimately benefit the Iranian people.
He added that ordinary Iranians had endured repression while standing against their government.Crackdown on Russia’s “shadow fleet”Meanwhile, European authorities have stepped up efforts to enforce sanctions against Moscow.Belgium announced it had seized an oil tanker believed to be part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” — vessels accused of circumventing Western sanctions by operating under false flags and opaque ownership structures. The ship, identified as the Ethera, was boarded in Belgium’s exclusive economic zone in the North Sea during a covert operation involving Belgian special forces and support from French helicopters.Prosecutors said the tanker was falsely flying the flag of Guinea and was suspected of transporting Russian oil despite existing US, EU and UK sanctions.Zelenskyy praised Belgium’s action, calling the vessel part of “Moscow’s floating purse” and thanking France for assisting in the operation. Western governments have increasingly targeted the shadow fleet as a key revenue stream for Russia’s war effort.
Expanding global ripple effectsAs the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, its geopolitical ripple effects are widening. Ukraine’s hard-earned experience defending against waves of Iranian-designed drones is now being positioned as a resource for other regions facing similar threats.For Kyiv, the conflict is no longer confined to its own borders. From the skies over Ukrainian cities to shipping lanes in the North Sea and tensions in the Gulf, the war’s impact is reshaping alliances, military cooperation and the global enforcement of sanctions.With missile and drone attacks continuing and diplomatic tensions rising, the coming weeks may test not only Ukraine’s resilience, but also the West’s ability to coordinate its response across multiple fronts.
