{"success":true,"data":{"id":"aa8f819a-e876-40a9-9742-d3db642fc67e","title":"Ukrainian rear gunner shoots down attack drones with rifle from open cockpit","summary":"A Ukrainian rear gunner was filmed shooting down attack drones from the open cockpit of a small plane with his rifle in extraordinary video published to social media by troops.","content":"US Edition Change\n\nSupport Now\n\n*   News[News](https://www.independent.co.uk/us)\n\n*   Sports[Sports](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport)\n\n*   Culture[Culture](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment)\n\n*   Lifestyle[Lifestyle](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style)\n\n*   Money[Money](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/money)\n\n*   Travel[Travel](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/travel)\n\n*   Premium[Premium](https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium)\n\n*   Climate[Climate](https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change)\n\nMore\n\nMore\n\n### Thank you for registering\n\nPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in\n\n## Showing now |News\n\n00:26\n\n[Holly Bishop](https://www.independent.co.uk/author/holly-bishop)Monday 27 July 2026 13:49 BST\n\n*   Copy link  \n\n## Bookmark popover\n\nRemoved from bookmarks\n\nClose popover\n\n# Ukrainian rear gunner shoots down attack drones with rifle from open cockpit\n\nA Ukrainian rear gunner was filmed shooting down attack drones from the open cockpit of a small plane with his rifle in extraordinary video published to social media by troops.\n\nFootage shows Stanislav, a pilot of [Ukraine](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/ukraine)’s 11th Army Aviation Brigade, firing at approaching [Russia](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/russia) enemy drones from the inside of a Yak-52.\n\nStanislav told local outlet _Censor.net_: “It’s an aerial duel in the truest sense of the word.\n\n“A great deal depends on the pilot’s skill, and on the accuracy and professionalism of the gunner.”\n\nStanislav said that looking up at a [drone-free sky](https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/ukraine-russia-war-missile-strike-swimming-pool-video-b3008124.html) after his combat missions gives him a “sense of satisfaction and peace”.","source_name":"The Independent","source_url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/ukraine-russia-war-drone-shot-down-rifle-video-b3022261.html","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/ukraine-russia-war-drone-shot-down-rifle-video-b3022261.html","author":"Holly Bishop","author_name":"Holly Bishop","published_at":"2026-07-27T12:49:58.000Z","publication_date":"2026-07-27T12:49:58.000Z","image_url":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/YcB5rFBY/poster.jpg?width=720","category":"world","topic":"world","tags":[],"political_bias":null,"bias_score":null,"confidence_score":null,"credibility_score":null,"factual_quality":null,"reading_time":1,"word_count":196,"view_count":0,"breaking":false,"breaking_news":false,"ai_analysis":null,"fact_check_status":"unverified","archive_status":"hot","language":null}}