Ukraine Backs US Air-Defense Effort Against Iranian Shahed Drones

Ukrainian President Zelensky said Ukraine will provide equipment and Ukrainian specialists to back US air-defense efforts against Iranian Shahed drones in the Middle East after a US request. Reports indicate talks in Washington and with Gulf states to buy Ukrainian-made interceptor drones to bolster those defenses. Kremlin officials, including Lavrov and Medvedev, escalated rhetoric criticizing US actions against Iran, while Putin signed a decree modestly increasing Russia’s military end strength to 2,391,770 and authorities arrested a fourth Shoigu deputy on corruption-related charges. In Ukraine, Ukrainian forces reportedly advanced southeast and south of Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka and continued long-range strikes against Russian rear areas, including a claimed destruction of a Russian S-400 system in occupied Orlivka; Ukrainian SSO also reported other drone and targeting successes. Belarusian and Vietnamese talks on military cooperation continued, signaling deeper regional alignment with Russia’s actions.