Rogynskyy, CEO of UForce, noted that his company’s Magura maritime drone would likely attract strong interest in the Gulf region.
Ukraine first deployed sea drones in the Black Sea to strike and pressure Russian naval forces, using them as an asymmetric response to a much larger fleet. Over time, these systems have evolved. Rogynskyy explained that they can now be fitted with interceptor drones to counter aerial threats over open water.
He added that Ukraine’s military is already operating Magura drones along its southern coastline to intercept Russian drones approaching the port city of Odesa from across the Black Sea during nighttime operations.
“It’s operational and has been thoroughly tested,” he said.
According to Rogynskyy, networks of Magura units equipped with interceptor drones could be positioned along the Gulf coast, relying on software-driven systems that minimize the need for large crews.
“Better to learn late than too late”
President Zelenskyy has previously criticized an unnamed Ukrainian-American firm for selling interceptor drones without coordinating with the government.
He argued that this undermined Ukraine’s reputation, as proper training for users—something that requires official support—was not provided.
Halyna Yanchenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker closely linked to defense manufacturers, told Reuters that the government has been slow to liberalize weapons exports. She emphasized that companies urgently need investment to scale up production.
She also noted that policies governing arms exports are still being developed. Like Mishkina of Tech Force in UA, Yanchenko warned that Ukraine risks missing a strategic opportunity arising from the Iran conflict if it does not act swiftly.
Even if agreements are finalized, officials and drone specialists caution that establishing drone-based air defense systems and training personnel could take several months.
Taras Tymochko, who leads the interceptor drone program at the Come Back Alive foundation—which has supplied tens of thousands of such drones to Ukraine’s military—said these advanced systems demand a wide range of expertise. This includes pilot training, combat experience, safely arming warheads, and troubleshooting technical issues.
He stressed that an even greater challenge lies in deploying and calibrating radar systems to detect and track incoming drones, as well as coordinating these efforts across multiple units.
Tymochko believes Gulf countries could progress faster than Ukraine did, since Ukraine had to develop these capabilities under the pressure of active conflict.
“I believe some Gulf nations could establish interceptor drone units within a few months and start showing results soon after,” he said.
“Unfortunately, in today’s world, that kind of time is scarce. Still, it’s better to start learning late than not at all.”
