Shahed: The Iranian-designed drone that has dominated the war in Ukraine

The Iranian-made Shahed and its Russian brother, the Geran-2, have dominated the war in Ukraine and terrorised Ukrainian cities for close to four years. 

Moscow is making record numbers of them and adapting the Shahed; Ukraine, however, is finding new ways to shoot it down. 

These $35,000 attack drones are giving the Kremlin mass and are killing scores of civilians.

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Russia adapts the drone

The Shahed-136 has become one of the most adaptable platforms that the Russians have.

Not only have they developed their own cheaper version, the Gerbera, but the Russians are also now fitting these drones with missile systems, as they have strapped MANPADs to the upper fuselage to fire forward at Ukrainian aircraft. 

There is evidence for the first time that the Kremlin's forces are fitting Shaheds with rear-facing R-60 air-to-air missiles, which have a range of about six miles and lock onto heat signatures, such as aircraft engines. 

These adaptations are likely an attempt to counter the growing number of interceptor drones that Ukraine is deploying. 

Ukraine finds creative ways to shoot down the drone

Kyiv has been finding different methods to destroy these uncrewed aerial vehicles. 

They have used old Yak-52 prop trainers to chase down Shaheds and Ukrainian F-16 aircraft have also destroyed the drones.

The country is fitting American M134 miniguns to some of its precious helicopters and using them as gunships to take out Shaheds as they cross Ukraine. 

An Antonov An-28 transport aircraft equipped with the same six-barrel Gatling-type gun has been seen annihilating a Shahed, according to French TV footage. 

These pilots are civilians, and this aircraft alone has claimed nearly 150 kills. 

The measures are part of a multi-layered defence network that Ukraine has built - and needs. 

Russia has already launched 50,000 Shahed drones into Ukraine, and it is building 2,000 of them a month with plans, thanks to some Chinese help, to triple that figure.