A Ukrainian soldier has been filmed shooting down Russian Shahed attack drones using a rifle from the open cockpit of a propeller plane. The aircraft, a Yak-52 trainer, has been adapted by Ukraine for counter-drone operations, according to reports.
Dramatic footage captured over the Odesa region shows the soldier, identified as Stanislav, targeting a drone before opening fire. The unmanned aerial vehicle then erupts in flames and crashes. Other clips show drones exploding on impact after being struck.
Stanislav described the satisfaction of these missions, stating, "The true realization comes when you return to the home airfield and see a clear sky, and hear over the radio: there are no more aerial targets. That is when you feel satisfaction and peace."
Ukraine has also repurposed Mil Mi-8 'Hip' transport helicopters with machine guns for similar counter-drone efforts. Video released in August 2024 showed a gunner downing a Russian Shahed-136 drone from such a helicopter.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has reported an increase in drone attacks targeting Russian territory. The mayor of Moscow stated that over 390 drones were directed towards the Moscow region overnight, with air defense forces neutralizing most before they reached the city. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported a total of 356 Ukrainian drones downed across various regions, including near the capital, though the discrepancy in numbers was not explained. Drone attacks reportedly caused minor damage to housing in the towns of Chekhov and Vaulovo village. These actions are part of Ukraine's ongoing counter-attacks on Russian energy, logistics, and military sites, which Kyiv views as retaliation for Moscow's strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. Zelensky has previously warned that Russia plans to mobilize an additional 500,000 troops following parliamentary elections in September. He has also expressed concerns that Russia is providing Iran with satellite imagery of U.S. bases in the Gulf region, which he claims correlates with subsequent Iranian strikes.
President Trump, however, downplayed the significance of any potential Russian assistance to Iran, stating it was not at a high level and had been "very un-impactful." He indicated he would raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky comes as they are both set to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, who had recently visited Kyiv and secured an agreement on sanctions against countries purchasing Russian oil and gas. Republican leadership is aiming to advance Graham's sanctions legislation this week, which includes tariffs on goods from major purchasers of Russian energy and sanctions against Russian officials and financial institutions.
Earlier this month, Trump announced the U.S. would provide Ukraine with a license to produce Patriot air defense systems, a request long sought by Kyiv to counter Russian missile attacks. Trump stated that he and Zelensky had developed a good relationship and that the U.S. would help Ukraine produce the systems quickly.