President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukrainian military experts downed Iranian drones in several Middle East countries, AFP reports.

“We demonstrated to some countries how to work with interceptors. Did we destroy them? Yes, we did. Did we do it in just one country? No, in several,” Zelensky told journalists, including AFP reporters, in comments released under embargo today.

“This was not about a training mission or exercises, but about support in building a modern air defence system that can actually work. Yes, they were shooting down Shaheds,” he said, referring to the Iranian drones.

“In return for our support and expertise, we will receive various things. In some cases, it involves interceptors to protect our energy infrastructure; in others, there are financial arrangements,” he said, adding Ukraine could also receive oil supplies.