Inside the institution where Ukraine races to counter Russia's evolving drones

In a government office, researchers of drones and electronic warfare gather around a small metal device recovered from a Russian Geran drone. Its purpose — to measure the Earth’s magnetic field for navigation.

The researchers work at an institution under Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, and its work is rarely seen by outsiders. Here, specialists dismantle Russian weapons recovered from the battlefield or attacks to identify vulnerabilities, help develop countermeasures, and anticipate what Russian engineers might try next.

The Kyiv Independent was given rare access on the condition that neither the institution nor the people inside be identified.

Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov / Libkos / Getty Images