**Ukraine Sends Advisers to Gulf as it Counterattacks Russian Forces in South** Ukraine has made significant gains in its counteroffensive against Russian forces, reclaiming approximately 400 square kilometers of territory this year. The country has also achieved a record number of drone shootdowns, with over 44,700 Russian Shahed-type drones destroyed since the start of the war. Ukraine's Defence Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, reported a success rate of nearly 90 percent, with a goal of reaching 95 percent. In a bid to share its expertise with other countries facing similar threats, Ukraine has sent over 200 experts to the Gulf region to help defend against Iranian drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that nearly three dozen more experts were being prepared for deployment. Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of cooperation, stating, _"What is happening around Iran today is not a faraway war for us – because of the cooperation between Russia and Iran. And we do not believe we have the right to be indifferent."_ The Shahed-type drones used by Iran are the same model sold to Russia in 2022, with thousands produced under license. Ukraine's experience in shooting down Russian drones has been extensive, with over 15,000 drones destroyed in one month alone. The country is now offering its know-how to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Zelenskyy also offered to protect British bases in Cyprus, which were recently struck by a Shahed drone. He proposed setting up interception teams, radars, and acoustic coverage to guarantee protection against future attacks. According to Fabian Hoffmann, a missile expert from Oslo University, the vulnerability of US allies in the Gulf to Iranian drones is due to their focus on high-altitude systems to counter ballistic missiles, while ignoring low-altitude threats. Hoffmann noted that the problem is not the effectiveness of the interceptors, but their expense, with US ballistic interceptors costing up to $10 million per shot, compared to roughly $3,000 for a Ukrainian interceptor drone. Ukraine's ability to produce interceptors has increased significantly, with President Zelenskyy stating that the country is capable of producing at least 2,000 effective and combat-proven interceptors every day. He added that Ukraine needs around 1,000 interceptors a day, and can supply at least another 1,000 a day to its allies. Ukraine's counterattacks against Russian forces have also intensified, with air attacks on Russian infrastructure increasing fourfold to 23,000 last year, compared to 6,200 in 2022. Russian former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, now secretary of Russia's Security Council, acknowledged the increase in sabotage and terrorist attacks, which rose by 40 percent to 1,830 over the same period.