The Russian invasion pushed Ukraine to innovate, turning it into a laboratory for groundbreaking military technologies. As European defense industries are racing to adapt, innovate, and respond to rapid developments brought upon by the war, Eastern Circles conceived this podcast to make sense of defense technology as part of the evolving national defense strategies and a moving force of geopolitics and international relations.
This series will examine the transformative impact of the war on the defense policies and industries in UA, EU and beyond.
Site: https://www.easterncircles.com
Millions of Drones, Not Pilots: Interview with the U.S. CEO of Swarmer Alex Fink
In this episode of Eastern Circle's War Tech Talk, host Anastasia Shapochkina sits down with Alex Fink, the American CEO of Swarmer, to discuss the present and future of AI on the battlefield. Swarmer is currently working in Ukraine to develop decentralised coordination systems using cooperative AI. Their core mission is to move away from the traditional one-to-one pilot-to-drone ratio, automating the process so that a single human operator can control hundreds of drones simultaneously.
12 Jun 2026
The Drone War Was Never About Drones
Anastasiya Shapochkina and Bohdan Kostiuk sit down with Fedir Serdiuk, co-founder of MOWA Defence Advisory and one of the key figures in Ukraine's shift from an assistance-seeking country to a defense partner and security provider.
In this episode:
→ Why large-scale combat operations require a completely different doctrine than the Global War on Terror
→ Ukraine's "beautiful chaos" and why a zoo of weapons is a feature, not a bug
→ What it actually means to sell capability instead of equipment
→ How veterans are becoming core assets in the private defense sector
→ Why Europe's focus on drones misses the point
Ukraine started FPV warfare with drones built in people's garages. It became an industrial capability producing millions of units a year. The technology followed the people, not the other way around.
11 May 2026
Episode with the CEO of Himera: The Ghost of Battlefield Communication
In this episode of War Tech Talk, Anastasia Shapochkina sits down with Misha Rudominski, co-founder and CEO of Himera, a Ukrainian developer of advanced communication systems. Born during the defense of Kyiv in 2022, where demand for secure communication far outnumbered supply, Himera developed a tactical radio that functions as a "digital ghost"—specifically designed to be hard to detect, intercept, and jam. Rudaminsky explains the company’s four pillars of modern military technology: reliability, scalability, affordability, and ease of use. The conversation explores how Himera uses self-managing mesh networks to overcome environmental obstacles and Russian electronic warfare, their strategic commitment to a China-independent supply chain, and their recent expansion into international markets.
30 Apr 2026
Dronefall: the practice of Ukrainian air defense
In this episode of War Tech Talk, Anastasia Shapochkina speaks with Ukrainian Army veteran and Come Back Alive member Danylo Shynhelsky to reveal the inner workings of the Dronefall air defense project. We discuss how Ukrainian air defense actually works, from logistics to AI applications, to HR and civil-military cooperation.
To support Come Back Alive NGO and their Dronefall project: https://payment-page.charge-auth.com/charity/comebackalive/LAQb27N?traffic_source=easterncircles_2026
17 Mar 2026
Interview: How AI is Shaping Ukraine's Fight, with Vladyslav Piotrovskyi, CEO of Dwarf Engineering
In this episode, we interview Vladislav Piotrovskyi, the co-founder and CEO of the Ukrainian defense startup DWARF Engineering.
We are discussing the rapid evolution of AI and drone technology on the battlefield, IP rights, trust between the defense tech actors, and investment in Ukrainian deftech.
13 Oct 2025
Guided Bombs, War on Ukraine, and the New Battlefield Calculus
Industry experts Anastasiya Shapochkina and Bohdan Kostiuk analyze the rise and impact of guided bombs in the Russia-Ukraine war, exploring their tactical advantages and the challenges Ukraine faces in production in this interview episode.
24 Sept 2025
Inside Ukraine’s Defense Tech Valley: Returning from Lviv
The hosts share insights from Defense Tech Valley in Lviv, Ukraine, discussing technology and investment trends following Ukraine's announcement of defense exports.
15 Sept 2025
Russian bombing of Poland: What Moscow tested and what NATO learnt
Analysts Anastasiya Shapochkina, Daryna-Maryna Patiuk, and Bohdan Kostiuk, along with experts Serhii Herasymchuk and Romain Le Quiniou, examine Russia's drone strike on Poland and its implications for NATO's vulnerabilities and Moscow's strategic objectives in this interview episode.
1 Aug 2025
Ukraine’s Political Gamble and the Price of a Reform
War Tech Talk examines Ukraine's revised anti-corruption laws, the financial reactions from international partners, and Russia's new drone attacks, revealing the economic and technological stakes.
25 Jul 2025
Ukraine Unfiltered: Government Reshuffle, Anti-Corruption Shakeup, Drone Wars, Trump & the EU
Anastasiya Shapochkina, Bohdan Kostiuk, and Daryna-Maryna Patiuk analyze Ukraine's government reshuffle, anti-corruption efforts, drone warfare, and international relations, offering insights into the nation's complex situation in this interview.
15 May 2025
Electronic Warfare in Ukraine: Systems, Strategy, and Innovation
Explore how electronic warfare has evolved from its early roots in the 20th century to a central pillar of the conflict in Ukraine. Anastasiya Shapochkina, President of the Eastern Circles think tank, and Rodolphe Oberlé, former French Army Special Forces officer, unpack the tech, tactics, and power dynamics between Russia and Ukraine. A gripping look at innovation, strategy, and the future of electromagnetic warfare.
27 Apr 2025
Turkey's balancing act: Between Ukraine, NATO and Moscow PART 2
What role does Turkey really play in the Ukraine war—and in the shifting balance of modern global power? In part two of this episode, we sit down with foreign policy expert Eugenia Garber to unpack Ankara’s complex positioning between NATO, Ukraine, and Russia, as well as its strategic influence in the Middle East and North Africa. From drones to diplomacy, this is a deep dive into one of the most pivotal players in today’s geopolitical game.
23 Apr 2025
Turkey's balancing act: Between Ukraine, NATO and Moscow PART 1
What role does Turkey really play in the Ukraine war—and in the shifting balance of modern global power? In this episode, we sit down with foreign policy expert Eugenia Garber to unpack Ankara’s complex positioning between NATO, Ukraine, and Russia, as well as its strategic influence in the Middle East and North Africa. From drones to diplomacy, this is a deep dive into one of the most pivotal players in today’s geopolitical game.
3 Feb 2025
Sea drones in focus: How Ukraine’s naval innovation sank Russia’s strategy
Explore the rise of Ukraine’s naval drones and their revolutionary role in the Black Sea conflict. From Magura V5 to the Sea Baby, discover how these systems helped neutralise Russia’s naval advantage and opened critical grain corridors. Tune in to learn how naval drones are reshaping modern warfare.
The war in Ukraine: ground zero for drone innovation
Russia's war in Ukraine has sparked rapid advancements in military technologies, putting the European defense sector in catch-up mode on key new trends. In this first episode, Eastern Circles looks into the main drone actors on the Ukrainian battlefield. Produced by Anastasiya Shapochkina, Elitsa Gadeva and Daryna-Maryna Patiuk.
Who has been a guest on War Tech Talk
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Anastasiya Shapochkina
Bohdan Kostiuk
Daryna-Maryna Patiuk
Serhii Herasymchuk
Romain Le Quiniou
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Podcast Authority Score: 6 / 100
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