Qatar and Ukraine signed a defence agreement on Saturday that included cooperation on countering threats from missiles and drones, the Gulf state’s government said, as Iran presses an aerial campaign against its neighbours. Earlier on Saturday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy – during a previously unannounced flurry of visits to Gulf nations – said his country and the United Arab Emirates had agreed to cooperate on defence, after Iran targeted countries in the area in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes. Ukraine also signed an air defence agreement with Saudi Arabia during Zelenskyy’s visit to the kingdom earlier this week.

“We are talking about a 10-year cooperation. We have already signed a relevant agreement with Saudi Arabia, we have just signed a similar agreement with Qatar, also for 10 years, we will sign one with the Emirates,” Zelenskyy told reporters at a briefing.

Ukraine has quickly grown into one of the world’s leading producers of cutting-edge, battle-tested drone interceptors that are cheap and effective. They are playing a key part in its defence against Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began on 24 February 2022.

In return for its aid to Gulf countries, Ukraine is seeking more high-end air-defence missiles that they possess and that Kyiv needs to counter Russia’s attacks. Last week Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was looking into whether it could play a role in restoring security in the strait of Hormuz.

Ukraine wants to build long-term ties with Middle Eastern countries, Zelenskyy said, including joint production, cooperation in the energy sector, investment and sharing battlefield experience. He spoke with journalists via Zoom during an official visit in Qatar, the latest in his tour in the region. “Simple sales do not interest us,” Zelenskyy said. “We want systemic relationships, where exporters earn revenue and Ukraine receives sufficient funds to invest in domestic production.”

Zelenskyy has sought to craft an opportunity from the war, which otherwise benefits Russia through higher oil prices and possible slowdowns in western arms supplies to Kyiv. Almost immediately, he started offering US allies in the region deals to get their hands on Ukrainian drone interceptors and has dispatched more than 200 military experts. “Surely no one else can help in this way today, with expertise,” he told reporters. “No one else possesses such experience.”

Russian air attacks across Ukraine early Saturday killed at least four people and damaged critical infrastructure, including a port and a maternity hospital, authorities said, as Russia pressed on with its war against Ukraine. Moscow has been firing drones at Ukraine in nightly barrages during its four-year invasion, with Kyiv accusing it of attacking residential areas and targeting civilians.

Iran claims it struck Ukraine-related drone warehouse in Dubai. Iran’s military joint command made the claim in a statement run by state media, without offering evidence. The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters said more than 20 Ukrainians were in the warehouse in the United Arab Emirates and their fate was unknown. In a news briefing, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, however, called the Iranian allegations a “lie,” according to Ukraine’s public broadcaster.

Ukraine’s military struck a major Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl, north-east of Moscow, in an overnight attack, the Ukrainian General Staff said on Saturday. It said in a statement that the attack caused a fire at the site of the refinery, which is critical for the Russian army’s logistics.