---
title: "Ukraine Sends Advisers to the Gulf as It Presses Counterattack in the South"
date: 2026-03-20
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/20/ukraine-sends-advisers-to-gulf-amid-counterattack/
categories:
  - "Politics"
  - "World"
tags:
  - "counterattack"
  - "drones"
  - "Gulf"
  - "Russia"
  - "Ukraine"
---

# Ukraine Sends Advisers to the Gulf as It Presses Counterattack in the South

## What Happened

Ukraine has deployed military advisers to Gulf states as it continues a counteroffensive against Russian forces in the south, international reporting says. Kyiv has said it is making advances on the southern front in 2026 and may have reclaimed about 400 sq km (154 sq miles) of territory so far this year.

At the same time, Ukrainian defences have been reporting unusually high success against Russian aerial attacks, with officials saying they are downing record numbers of Russian drones.

## Background

The movement of Ukrainian advisers to Gulf countries comes amid intensified fighting in the country’s south. The advisers are being sent while Kyiv seeks political, diplomatic and security support as it pursues battlefield gains.

The reported recovery of roughly 400 sq km in 2026 has been described by Ukrainian sources as part of ongoing operations to push back Russian forces on certain southern axes. Separately, the increase in intercepted and destroyed Russian drones has been highlighted as a notable development in air-defence performance during the campaign.

## What This Means

Sending advisers to Gulf states may reflect Kyiv’s effort to broaden diplomatic and security relationships beyond Europe, seeking partners who can provide political backing, military advice or logistical support. The advisers’ presence in the Gulf could also signal Ukraine’s intent to engage with states that influence global energy markets and regional diplomacy.

For Panama and Latin America, developments in Ukraine can have indirect impacts. Escalation or shifts in the conflict that affect global energy supplies or shipping routes may influence freight costs and commodity prices — matters of interest to Panama’s maritime and trade sectors. Panama, as a major maritime hub and Canal operator, closely monitors changes in global trade flows and risks to maritime security.

Monitoring will continue as Kyiv advances in the south and as diplomatic activity in the Gulf unfolds. The situation remains fluid: territorial gains are described as provisional and the scale of drone losses reported by Kyiv represents a notable tactical trend rather than a definitive strategic outcome.