Exclusive: How Ukraine’s homegrown smart defense innovations are reshaping frontline warfare — NV

Ukrainian defense firm UGV Robotics has deployed Khyzhak, an autonomous machine-gun turret that tracks and engages FPV drones using computer vision, requiring a human only to authorize firing. Mounted on the 330-kilogram Lyut ground robot, it's been used on the front line since March 2026 and has reportedly intercepted hundreds of drones at a fraction of the cost of comparable American systems.

The turret is part of a broader expansion of Ukraine's defense industry, which NATO's deputy secretary general says has grown from roughly $1 billion a year at the start of the invasion to an estimated $50-55 billion now, with the Defense Ministry codifying more than 1,300 domestically designed weapons.

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