Saudi Oil Giant Wants To Buy Ukrainian Drones

• 12.03.2026, 20:27

To protect the fields from Iranian attacks.

Saudi Arabia's oil company Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil exporter, is in discussions with two Ukrainian companies to buy drones to protect oilfields from Iranian attacks, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources.

The talks are with SkyFall and Wild Hornets, which make interceptor drones that can neutralize enemy drones by ramming them or exploding nearby.

According to the interlocutors, Ukrainian developments are of interest not only to Saudi Aramco: the kingdom's authorities are also discussing with Ukraine possible supplies of UAVs and are negotiating with Ukraine's Phantom Defense, which produces electronic warfare equipment.

Sources note that Aramco wants to get such systems faster than the Saudi government and other countries in the region, including Qatar.

The talks come in the wake of a series of Iranian strikes on Gulf countries, with energy facilities, among others, falling under the attacks. In particular, according to the WSJ source, on March 7, a drone, presumably Iranian, attacked the Berri field near the Saudi city of al-Jubail. The Ras Tanura refinery and other Saudi Aramco facilities were also under attack, as well as energy facilities in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE.

On March 8, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that Ukrainian specialists would train military personnel from Middle Eastern countries to counter air attacks, and also announced the dispatch of drone interceptors and UAV experts to defend U.S. bases in Jordan. According to Zelensky, Washington has requested Kiev's help in defending against Iranian drones in the region.