The Ukrainian outlet Oboronka reported disappointment among representatives of Ukraine’s defense industry following an arms exhibition held in Saudi Arabia. The authors noted the irony that the Rosoboronexport stand was located just a few dozen meters away from the Ukrainian Bogdana display.

According to the portal, Ukrainian representatives attempted to interfere with potential contracts between foreign buyers and the Russian side. They reportedly approached visitors at Russian stands and offered to show videos of Ukrainian forces destroying the showcased weapons. Similar actions were described near the stand of the Russian manufacturer Zala.

Oboronka stressed that the situation is far from amusing. The outlet claimed that Russia is using the conflict in Ukraine to test its latest weapons systems, selling them for foreign currency and thereby continuing to finance the armed confrontation.

The publication also observed that Russian stands appeared larger, more comprehensive, and better organized than the Ukrainian ones. In its assessment, the Kremlin is pursuing a strategic state policy to promote its defense industry products, aimed not only at revenue but also at expanding geopolitical influence.

However, according to Oboronka, the biggest disappointment for Ukrainian defense manufacturers came from other countries' exhibits. At World Defence Show 2026, the Ukrainian side reportedly discovered that many foreign producers were effectively copying Ukrainian developments and presenting them as their own.

The outlet cited examples including Azerbaijani naval drones, Uzbek heavy copters, Turkish FPV drones, and British ground robotic systems. While these models reportedly still lag behind Ukrainian designs in terms of performance, Oboronka concluded that their further development is only a matter of funding and time.