Vlasiuk: Shahed attacks expose dangers of black market microchip trade

This was stated in a comment to Ukrinform by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the President’s Representative on Sanctions Policy.

“It seems to us that in this situation, many countries have realized that there must always be diversification in the oil market, as well as the danger posed by the circulation of microelectronics. Look at how Iran uses its inexpensive drones and the colossal damage they cause. They are shutting down some of the world’s largest airports and halting the flow of 20% of the world’s oil,” he said.

Vlasiuk emphasized that the “Shaheds” used by Iran against its neighbors contain Western microchips—just like Russian drones.

“This is what we’ve been talking about for years. And this is what the world has now seen. In a sense, we’re trying to be positive because, perhaps, we’ll be able to get a more united global response to the things that have long troubled us,” the Presidential Envoy said.

As reported by Ukrinform, on March 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that this week, Ukrainian teams equipped to defend against “Shaheds” would arrive to assist in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, the U.S. sent a request to Ukraine asking for specific assistance in defending against “Shaheds” in the Middle East. In total, Ukraine has received 11 requests from Iran’s neighboring countries, European states, and the U.S. for security support, particularly in countering “Shaheds.”

Zelensky stated that in exchange for assistance in the Middle East, he expects to receive, first and foremost, the scarce Patriot missiles.