A gunman with a shotgun shoots down Russian drones from a Ukrainian Yak-52 airplane - a close look from the sky

Social media has been flooded with photos and videos of the Ukrainian Yak-52 aircraft, known for hunting down Russian drones in the skies of Ukraine. The markings on the Yak-52 fuselage indicate the number of drones shot down.

The video shows that the second crew member of the aircraft is a shooter with a regular shotgun. The combination of the Yak-52 with a 50-year history and manual firearms has proven to be effective against Russian reconnaissance drones, which are extremely difficult to shoot down by other means.

Ukrainian Yak-52 which is used to hunt down Russian reconnaissance UAVs over the southern Ukraine.
Video from a Russian drone. https://t.co/5Ba0xy7cWMpic.twitter.com/99havoXGSf

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) June 8, 2024

The markings on the aircraft indicate at least eight Zala and "Orlan" UAVs that have been eliminated by it. The bird and cloud markings tell of drones destroyed due to natural circumstances in the presence of the Yak-52 crew.

Reports of the Yak-52, which hunts down enemy UAVs, surfaced in April. The aircraft has a speed of up to 250 km/h, while the capabilities of Russian reconnaissance drones do not exceed 150 km/h. Interestingly, the cost of the Yak-52 is comparable to the price of shot down drones, but it still requires a crew.

Sources: NV, Focus