ERBIL, — Iran has accused Ukraine of deploying thousands of micro-drones in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region and establishing covert drone networks in countries surrounding Iran. Ukraine has rejected the allegations, describing them as unfounded and deliberate disinformation.
The allegations were reported by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency on October 20, citing an unnamed security source. Tasnim is closely affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to the source, Ukrainian personnel operating specialised drone units have established a regional network for deploying small unmanned aerial vehicles.
The source claimed that thousands of micro-drones had been deployed in Iraqi Kurdistan but declined to identify the other countries allegedly hosting Ukrainian personnel and equipment. The source said the names would be disclosed at an appropriate time.
Iran reportedly views the alleged deployment as part of broader hostile activities by Ukraine, Europe and NATO. The source described the operation as a “failed attempt” and a “scandal,” adding that Tehran was aware of the alleged activities and was considering an appropriate response.
The source also referred to an alleged Ukrainian attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, claiming that Iran had exercised restraint following the incident but would not allow Ukraine or European countries to expand operations against it.
Ukraine Rejects the Allegations
On October 21, the Embassy of Ukraine in Iraq issued a statement rejecting the Iranian claims. It said Ukraine had not deployed drones, drone units or related personnel in the Kurdistan Region or anywhere else in Iraq.
The embassy described the allegations as “entirely unfounded” and “deliberate disinformation.” It also reaffirmed Ukraine’s respect for Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, highlighting its relations with both the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The embassy urged media organisations to verify information and avoid circulating unconfirmed claims.
Earlier Arrests in Sulaymaniyah
The allegations follow an incident in the summer of 2025, when police in Sulaymaniyah, a city in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, arrested three Ukrainian nationals suspected of overseeing training in the operation of small drones.
According to the earlier account published by Tasnim, the training was allegedly connected to planned assassination operations funded and supervised by a group operating in northern Iraq. However, that incident does not independently establish that Ukraine has deployed thousands of micro-drones in the region.
As of October 21, 2026, the alleged large-scale drone deployment remains independently unverified. The current claim originates from an unnamed Iranian security source, while Ukraine has formally denied it. No official response from the Iraqi federal government or the Kurdistan Regional Government was available in the reports reviewed.
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