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US Minigun on Ukrainian An-28 Downs Russian Shahed Drone at Point-Blank Range, Slow Motion Video
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Newly released footage appears to show the crew of a Ukrainian An-28 light transport aircraft destroying a Russian Shahed-type attack drone at extremely close range, offering a rare glimpse into one of the most unconventional air-defense methods used in the war, according to a video released by Ukrainian pilot Timur Fatkullin on February 5.
The video, filmed from inside the Ukrainian aircraft, captures the moment the drone is engaged and shot down midair.
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Recent imagery and video evidence also suggest that some An-28 airframes have been equipped with US-made M134 Miniguns, significantly increasing their effectiveness against small, fast-moving aerial targets.
These 7.62×51 mm rotary machine guns can fire between 3,000 and 6,000 rounds per minute, far exceeding the 500–750 rounds per minute typical of a PKT machine gun. Mounted at the side gunner’s position, the Miniguns allow concentrated bursts capable of destroying Shahed drones almost instantly.
Slow motion footage of a Ukrainian door gunner shooting down a Russian Shahed attack drone using an M134 Minigun. pic.twitter.com/fGMO7CU8Zk
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 5, 2026
Ukraine’s use of the An-28 as a drone interceptor was first reported in October. According to the outlet, at least one aircraft has achieved notable results, reportedly downing around 70 drones since entering service in this role.
A photo circulated on social media showed kill markings painted on the aircraft’s fuselage, indicating confirmed interceptions. Observers noted that this tally compared favorably with some advanced Western fighter aircraft deployed in Europe, which have recorded far fewer aerial engagements.
The An-28 was originally designed in Kyiv by the Antonov Design Bureau and later mass-produced in Poland at the PZL Mielec plant. A modernized version, the PZL M28, remains in service with the armed forces of several countries.
Internationally, the aircraft is also known under the US designation C-145A and has been further developed into the MC-145B SOMA special operations variant, capable of carrying guided bombs, Hellfire missiles, and even JASSM cruise missiles.
The crew-member of a Ukrainian helicopter shots down a Russian Shahed-136/Geran-2 long-range OWA-UAV with a side-mounted M134 Minigun rotary machine gun. pic.twitter.com/H4yTSnTbPT
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) November 12, 2025
Defense Express notes that Ukraine appears to be using largely standard, minimally modified An-28 aircraft, potentially fitted with onboard gunners who engage drones directly in flight—a tactic reminiscent of machine-gun interceptions carried out from Mi-8 helicopters earlier in the war.
The newly surfaced footage underscores how Ukraine continues to combine improvisation with Western-supplied weaponry to counter Russia’s mass drone attacks.
Earlier, Ukrainian forces began mounting six-barrel M134 Miniguns and upgraded targeting gear on both river patrol boats as part of a push to blunt attack drone strikes.
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-010b17409cdad5dbe7337a5de67887e4.jpg "“They Were Happy They Caught a Pole”: Testimony Reveals Ethnic Abuse in Russian Prison")
-352f7c4f1e6c5c102283853cab6e81ec.jpeg "FC.KP electronic warfare system on a Ukrainian Kozak-5 armored vehicle. (Source: First Contact)")
