drone warfare Ukraine war Russian drones Ukrainian military Yak-52 aircraft Soviet-era planes modern warfare tactics

A video of Ukrainian soldiers shooting down Russian drones with rifles while leaning out of Soviet-era propeller planes went viral last week. The footage shows soldiers taking aim at drones, pulling the trigger, and causing them to plummet to the ground in fiery explosions. The scene draws comparisons to war-based video games.

Given the rampant disinformation surrounding the war in Ukraine, skepticism about the video’s authenticity is understandable. However, the Wall Street Journal reports the footage is real, showcasing a unique development in drone warfare—where 21st-century technology clashes with old-school close-range combat.

How Ukrainian Forces Are Downing Russian Drones

According to sources in the Ukrainian forces cited by the Wall Street Journal, the country’s 11th Army Aviation Brigade has eliminated dozens of Russian drones by having soldiers lean out of prop planes—specifically, decades-old Yak-52 aircraft, originally designed for aerobatics training—armed with rifles and shotguns.

The Yak-52 planes are far cheaper to operate and significantly lower-tech compared to Ukraine’s F-16 jets, which have also been used to down drones. Soldiers have adopted a practice inspired by World War II pilots: stenciling images of downed drones onto the sides of their planes.

Why Propeller Planes Are Effective Against Drones

The Yak-52 planes can easily keep pace with Russian Shahed drones, which are laden with explosives. Their agility allows soldiers to get within several hundred feet, enabling them to lean out and take down the drones with small arms. However, this method remains extremely hazardous. Russian air-defense missiles can easily target the non-jet-powered aircraft, exposing Ukrainian pilots to grave danger.

The Anachronistic Tactics of Modern Warfare

This approach is yet another example of anachronistic tactics emerging in response to advancements in robotics and drone warfare. Just last week, a separate video surfaced showing Ukrainian troops evacuating an elderly woman with the help of a remotely controlled robot.

"There is such great new technology now, yet I am still hanging out of the cockpit shooting at drones with a shotgun," a mechanic-turned-gunner told the Wall Street Journal.

Despite the risks, the method appears to be working. As one Reddit user commented, "Modern problems can sometimes use older solutions."

More on the Ukraine War

For further context on unconventional tactics in the Ukraine war, see: Wild Video Shows Ukrainian Troops Evacuate Babushka With a Military Robot.

Source: Futurism
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