Over the past few years, Ukraine has been under constant attack from Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Now, in a twist that feels almost surreal, Iran is calling Ukraine a “legitimate target” angered by the fact that Ukrainian-made interceptor technology is now helping defend other countries in the Middle East.

In this report, I spent time with some of Ukraine’s fastest-moving and most innovative drone interceptor teams to understand how these systems actually work. What makes them so effective, how they’re evolving in real time, and why Ukraine is now in a position to export this technology abroad. It’s a story about adaptation, survival, and how a country under attack has quietly become a leader in modern defence.

I also take a step back to look at the bigger picture. What this means for global politics, for the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran, and for the shifting stance of figures like Donald Trump, who has repeatedly changed position on Ukraine. There’s a much larger axis forming here and it’s been building for years.