Contributor: Ukraine’s aid against Iran shows who the U.S. allies really are
Battles really allow you to separate friend from foe.
While U.S. airstrikes have destroyed Iran’s dangerous ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, Iran and its proxies have attacked American military bases, U.S. allies, and sea lanes in the Middle East. Ukraine rushed to our defense. Russia, which has enabled the ayatollahs for decades, continued to aid Tehran.
Ukraine’s assistance in this conflict is valuable and could be critical.
more than 70% Iranian attacks – More than 2,000 of them by mid-March – came from Shahed drones. Drones capable of carrying 100-pound payloads hit Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, killing six American soldiers; US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain; US’s $300 million Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in Jordan; three US embassies and consulates; allied air bases; and oil refineries, fuel depots, desalination plants, cargo ships, airports and ports.
The US military shoots down about 90 percent of its drones, but 10 percent of Iran’s fleet poses a major threat. Iran reportedly stockpiled around 80,000 Martyrs before the war and is still able to produce around 1,000 per month. Drones can be better hidden from missile complexes or nuclear facilities. Any withdrawal of drone strikes could be tricky, as Iran is rallying them for another concentrated attack.
Moreover, it’s a Shahed drone worth about $25,000 costs between one tenth and four hundredths As well as the interceptors that the US and its allies use against them. By mid-March, US forces had reportedly expended approximately 1,000 Patriot (PAC-3) interceptors; That’s nearly twice the annual production of the United States and more than Ukraine used in four years of war. Russia. This ratio is difficult to maintain. Fast shipping of 10,000 cheaper ($10,000) US-made Merops interceptor drones, the brainchild of a Ukrainian sergeant and former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt – helps. However, this figure is still far below Iran’s pre-war unmanned aerial vehicle inventory.
Ukraine knows the danger and struggle better than anyone. It was subjected to 65,000 Shahed-type drone attacks from Russia over three years. more than 150 average day last year. Despite these staggering volumes, Ukraine holds the fort. Developed highly effective Bullet interceptor drones. While not as advanced as the Merops, the Bullet costs a tenth as much and is up to 160 km/h faster. Ukraine is on track to produce 1000 Bullets per day.
The battle-hardened expertise of the Ukrainians is invaluable. They didn’t hesitate to share. Responding to the demands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately sent experts and troops to the Gulf, including the US military base in Jordan. Them happened assessing defenses, training U.S. and allied forces, and assisting with electronic warfare, sonic sensors, and software.
Ukraine helps the U.S. military achieve key goals that must reduce the uncertainty that currently drives up gas prices and the cost of living here at home.
Russia looks the other way, or worse.
This January, Moscow likely increased military shipments to Iran, including attack helicopters, air defense systems, spare parts for Su-35 fighter jets, radio-electronic equipment and sniper rifles. The armored vehicles it previously provided helped Tehran brutally suppress mass attacks protests in januaryHe challenges President Trump.
Moreover, Western intelligence showed that: Russia announced their location to Tehran Providing information on US soldiers, aircraft, and ships and giving advice on how Shahedes could best be used against the Americans allied targets. It may be more than just advice. The remains of the Russian-made Shahid type unmanned aerial vehicle, which was shot down over the largest port in the Middle East, were found in Dubai.
Moscow has every incentive to help Iran maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz. It undermines the US economy and its leverage. Washington has already suspended sanctions on Russian oil, allowing India to continue purchases. These sales, at around $100 per barrel, are increasing Putin’s war chest faster than before.
The money will boost Russia’s efforts to rehabilitate Shahads that can be sent safely to Iran via the Caspian Sea.
This is also a moment when, rather than allowing Russia to expand its sphere of influence, Trump could reuse the powerful tools he used earlier in his presidency to end the war against Ukraine: demanding that Moscow agree to a 90-day ceasefire for peace talks, repositioning U.S. submarines to call Russia’s nuclear bluff, and reconsidering the idea of supplying Ukraine with more powerful, long-range weapons.
The Iran and Ukraine conflicts are intertwined. Inaction harms US national interests: Not helping Ukraine stop Moscow means allowing Russia to help Iran stall the US in the Middle East. Partnership with Ukraine would serve US national interests: With Ukraine’s expertise and drones, US and allied forces could unleash more advanced interceptors that Kiev could use against Russia’s ballistic missiles, which are currently devastating Ukraine’s infrastructure.
There is a deeper reason why Ukraine is helping the United States and why we are helping Ukraine more. My surveys with the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine show that Ukrainians are determined to defend freedom and independence, the core values on which our nation was founded 250 years ago. Maintaining ties with these countries is vital.
Mikhail Alexseev, professor of international relations at San Diego State University, is the author of “Without Warning: Threat Assessment, Intelligence, and Global Struggle” and principal investigator of the multi-year study “War, Democracy, and Society” in Ukraine.
