- WIADOMOŚCI
The mysterious mission of a Ukrainian plane in the Middle East. Another military transport
Photo. Jim van de Burgt from Wijk bij Duurstede, Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons
A Ukrainian military Il-76MD was recorded on 12 October on a route from Sharurah in Saudi Arabia to Istanbul. While the route itself is significant for military transport, the context is even more important; for months, Ukraine has been developing defence cooperation with Riyadh and Arabian Peninsula states in the areas of drones, air defence, and electronic warfare.
On this occasion, a military Il-76MD of the Ukrainian Air Force was observed. This same aircraft has previously been seen on routes connecting Ukraine, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the flight from Sharurah is part of the ongoing military-logistical cooperation between Kyiv and Riyadh.
Sharurah is located right on the border with Yemen, a key area for the Saudi armed forces in the context of the Houthi threat. In September, the Houthis claimed to have attacked the base there with ballistic missiles and drones. A month later, a Ukrainian heavy military transport aircraft took off from the same area.
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It is worth noting that Ukraine is no longer just a state requesting assistance. Kyiv is beginning to export its own wartime experience. Ukrainian specialists have already worked in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar on countering Shahed drones and providing air defence consultancy. This is complemented by a ten-year „Drone Deal”, which includes interceptor drones, air defence systems, electronic warfare, and the transfer of Ukrainian weaponry and know-how.
Ukraine provides its partners on the Arabian Peninsula not only with the political experience of the war with Russia but also with highly practical solutions—namely, how to detect, combat, and neutralise drones as well as missile and UAV attacks. For Saudi Arabia, which is once again facing Houthi strikes, this is a necessary defence partnership.
The observed flight aligns perfectly with the strengthening military cooperation between Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and key states on the Arabian Peninsula. Although there are doubts regarding „Ukrainian drone technologies”, it must be emphasised that more countries are seeking to cooperate with Kyiv.
