Lindsey Graham Visited a Top Secret Ukrainian Drone Facility Just Hours Before His Death
Former South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) visited a secret Ukrainian drone manufacturing facility just one day before his sudden death, highlighting his continued support for Ukraine during its war with Russia.
The South Carolina Republican toured a production plant operated by Ukrainian defense company SkyFall during his visit to Kyiv, according to Ukrainian media reports.
Graham died Saturday night at the age of 71 after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.”
During the trip, Graham also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
The visit included a tour of SkyFall’s production facility, where Ukraine manufactures its Vampire bomber drones, also known as “Baba Yaga.”
The unmanned aircraft have become an important part of Ukraine’s battlefield strategy, carrying explosive payloads against Russian positions.
Following the tour, Graham praised Ukraine’s rapid advances in drone technology and encouraged closer cooperation between Kyiv and Washington.
“I believe that it would be a huge mistake for America not to cooperate with Ukraine in the field of drones,” Graham said during the visit.
“They are ready to help us, because we were ready to support Ukraine in the most difficult times.”
The senator’s trip also included discussions on U.S. policy toward Russia.
On Friday, Graham announced he had reached an agreement with the White House on a sanctions bill targeting Russia that he said the Trump administration was prepared to support.
The legislation was intended to increase economic pressure on Moscow as the war continued.
Following news of Graham’s death, Zelenskyy honored the longtime senator, describing him as one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters in Washington, per the New York Post.
“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and of the values that make our world safer,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president noted that Graham had visited Ukraine ten times since Russia launched its full-scale invasion and said the two leaders had remained in frequent contact.
“We were in constant dialogue, which I will miss,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Graham had recently worked on initiatives designed to strengthen sanctions against Russia and advance peace efforts.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also praised Graham, calling him a “true friend” and one of Ukraine’s strongest advocates in the United States.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte echoed those sentiments, describing Graham as a powerful supporter of the NATO alliance who consistently backed efforts to help Ukraine defend itself.
Graham’s office announced Sunday that he died after a “brief and sudden illness.”
Emergency responders were dispatched to his Capitol Hill residence Saturday evening following a reported cardiac arrest.
President Donald Trump paid tribute to Graham, calling him “a true American patriot” and one of the greatest senators he had known.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Graham devoted his career to advancing American interests abroad and supporting democratic allies.
Known as one of the Senate’s leading voices on national security and foreign policy, Graham spent decades advocating a strong U.S. military presence overseas and was among Congress’ most vocal supporters of continued assistance to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
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