The New Yorker

The Ukrainian Stunt Pilot Hunting Russian Drones

The video follows Timur, a former aerobatic champion turned combat pilot, as he describes Ukraine’s grassroots effort to counter Russian Shahed attack drones. Flying light aircraft, he and other volunteers have turned personal flying expertise into a makeshift air‑defense line, operating in the night sky over contested territories. Using thermal imaging to locate low‑observable drones, pilots close in to engage them directly, essentially turning the encounter into a dogfight reminiscent of World War II aerial combat. The lack of sufficient surface‑to‑air missiles forces reliance on manual interception, with pilots maneuvering their six‑ton planes around civilian structures to avoid collateral damage. Timur emphasizes the precarious balance: “It’s a man against the machines, but houses below make every shot a gamble.” He notes experimental drone‑to‑drone interceptors and the occasional use of air‑to‑air missiles against Shahed drones, highlighting both ingenuity and the high stakes of night‑time operations. The approach underscores Ukraine’s adaptive defense strategy, leveraging civilian pilots and improvised tactics to fill gaps in conventional air‑defense. While effective in disrupting some attacks, the method raises safety concerns and illustrates the broader resource constraints facing the Ukrainian military.