Watch: Ukraine blows up Russian Shahed drone with machine gun fire from vintage Yak-52 trainer
March 25, 2026
Incredible footage of small arms fire destroying Russian Shahed-type drones from a Yak-52 turboprop trainer. While the myth that Ukraine is using multi-million dollar Patriot interceptors to shoot down Shaheds persists, in reality, it is machine gunning them down and taking them out with $2,500 interceptor drones.
Ukrainians gun down Shahed-type drones from Yak-52
New footage has emerged of Ukraine shooting down a Russian Shahed-type drone with handheld small arms fire from a Yak-52 trainer. The Shahed-style drone is seen exploding in midair after being hit.
The moment of the shooting down of the Russian Shahed by the gunner of a Ukrainian "anti-drone" Yak-52 aircraft. pic.twitter.com/FBPs0bwxY6
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) March 2, 2026
As the war has gone on, Ukraine has developed more ways to counter Russia’s increasing waves of one-way attack drones. At the same time, Russia is having to deal with growing waves of Ukrainian one-way attack drones. Russia frequently follows Ukraine’s innovations in counter-drone measures.
The first Ukrainian Yak-52 trainers were seen shooting down Russian reconnaissance drones over Odesa in 2024. Since then, Russia has also adapted Yak-52 trainers and Cessna civilian aircraft to take on drones.
In another example of Russia learning from Ukraine, Russia established its independent “Drone Force” (Unmanned Systems Forces) in 2025, following Ukraine’s lead. It has also developed interceptor drones.
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Many air platforms to take on drones
Ukraine is using a broad range of aircraft to take out drones. It is using its F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets, although these are also tasked with shooting down Russian cruise missiles.
Ukrainian Yak-52, which is used to counter Russian reconnaissance drones.
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) June 29, 2024
Photo from a Russian Zala reconnaissance drone published by Russians. https://t.co/Ce46nwPVC2 pic.twitter.com/Xq5Y5lJM8m
Ukraine has enjoyed remarkable success in retrofitting its helicopters in an anti-drone role, including helicopters working in tandem. Gulf states have also been using AH-64 Apache helicopters to shoot down Iranian drones; the UAE has lost one in the process.
Ukraine has asked the Czech Republic to supply a handful of L-159 light fighters/advanced trainers that the Czech Republic lacks the pilots to fly. However, this has gotten caught up in domestic Czech politics and has stalled.
Perhaps the most remarkable drone-hunter platform in Ukrainian service is an old turboprop Antonov An-28 passenger aircraft with its installed six-barrel Gatling-type M134 Minigun.
In early February, the OSINT account, Special Kherson Cat, posted, “A Ukrainian civilian An-28 aircraft, modified for the role of a ‘Shahed hunter,’ now bears a staggering 114 confirmed kills marked on its fuselage.”
A Ukrainian civilian An-28 aircraft, modified for the role of a “Shahed hunter,” now bears a staggering 114 confirmed kills marked on its fuselage. https://t.co/AxeHdG9gtd pic.twitter.com/HWaM20cOgW
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) February 4, 2026
One of the main ways Ukraine is countering Russian drones is with its own interceptor drones that are of interest to Middle Eastern and European countries. Recently, Russian interceptor drones have been seen in combat, taking out Ukrainian one-way attack drones.
Ukraine downs first Ka-52 with FPV drone
Seperately, Ukraine managed to shoot down its first Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter with an FPV drone last week. The two pilots survived the crash but were then hunted down by Ukrainian drone teams.
Russian Ka-52 helicopter in the camera of a Ukrainian FPV drone https://t.co/96CiQWNu6Q pic.twitter.com/8i9xLdRYh0
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) March 20, 2026
Trained pilots are some of any military’s most valuable assets; they are often harder to replace than the aircraft themselves.
This wasn’t the first time Ukraine shot down a Russian helicopter in mid-air with an FPV drone, but previous helicopters were Mi-8 type. Ukraine had a near miss with a Ka-52 in January 2025.
Various Russian sources associated with the military aviation report the loss of another aircraft.
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) March 21, 2026
Preliminary, one crew member died, one survived. From the context, it may be about another Ka-52, though this is not certain. pic.twitter.com/GXV4yZrGVg
The next day after the Ka-52 was shot down, there were reports that Russia had lost another Ka-52, although it’s unclear what brought it down.
Featured Image: X/Russian Telegram channels
