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Civilian aircraft was cleared to intercept Russian drones less than a year ago.
Ukraine’s air defense has been forced to adapt as the war stretches on, drawing in tools and people once far from the front line. In recent months, the boundaries between civilian and military roles have blurred in unexpected ways.
One modest aircraft and its crew now play a part in protecting the skies, operating far from the spotlight but close to the threat. Their work reflects a wider effort to use every available option.
Behind the missions lies a mix of improvisation, official approval and quiet risk, as new methods are tested under pressure.
An unusual defense
Private aircraft were cleared to intercept Russian drones only in the summer of 2025, after Ukrainian planners concluded that every plane mattered. Since then, a small twin-engine An-28 transport aircraft flown by volunteers has helped down more than 100 drones.
The French broadcaster TF1, whose crew joined one operation, reported that five drones were intercepted during a single mission. Footage showed an M134 Minigun firing at targets, a role more commonly associated with helicopters.
The aircraft now operates alongside fighter jets, air defense systems, UAV interceptors and mobile fire groups, adding another layer to Ukraine’s defenses.
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Note: A PZL M28 Skytruck is a modernized, Westernized development of the license-built Antonov An-28.
How missions work
Dispatchers guide the An-28 toward areas where drones are detected. Once there, the crew must visually find the target, and a gunner fires manually from the aircraft.
The crew members are civilians who volunteered to assist the military. Interceptions are carried out only over fields or forests, never above populated areas.
Defense Express reported that the effort highlights how Ukraine is stretching all available resources. The approach has limits, as it depends on eyesight and radio guidance, making night operations especially difficult without specialized equipment.
The aircraft itself
The An-28 first emerged publicly as a “drone fighter” in the fall of 2025 through an unauthorized disclosure. It has since been officially acknowledged, with foreign journalists allowed access.
Designed in Kyiv and built in Poland, the aircraft also inspired the Polish MC-145B SOMA assault variant, which carries advanced sensors and weapons. The volunteer crew painted the plane’s “salary” on the fuselage: Year-28.
The An-28 first flew in 1969. Of 191 built, only 16 remain in service. It later evolved into the PZL M28 Skytruck, typically seating up to 15 passengers.
Sources: Digi24, TF1, Defense Express, The Kyiv Post
