Israel sells anti-drone system to Ukraine via Poland

An Israeli firm has supplied anti-drone systems to Ukraine through Poland, Israeli media revealed yesterday.

According to the Hebrew news website, Zman Yisrael, a source in the firm said that the equipment was being sold to Poland to circumvent Israel’s refusal to sell advanced arms to Ukraine.

The Israeli firm, according to the newspaper, reported the sale of the anti-drone system to the Israeli Defence Ministry, telling it the buyer was Poland. The firm appeared not to know that Poland was just a mediator and was transferring the system to Ukraine.

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The anti-drone system, which can intercept and disrupt unmanned aerial vehicles, is classified by the Israeli Defence Ministry as “advanced defensive technology” and as such can’t be sold to Ukraine.

However, the newspaper said, the Israeli government appeared unwilling to hinder the deal.

Since the start of the Russian war in Ukraine, Israel has refused to sell offensive and advanced defensive systems to Kyiv, fearing this would harm its “sensitive relations” with Moscow.

Israel has deployed the anti-drone system along the borders with Lebanon and around the Gaza Strip in order to undermine any potential drone attacks carried out by the Lebanese Hezbollah or the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.

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