The New York Times reported on 5/5 an interview with a group of Ukrainian volunteers utilizing an An-28 transport aircraft for air defense duties. The article revealed that the aircraft's fuselage is painted with a total of 213 symbols of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Pilot Timur Fatkullin stated that these symbols represent the number of Russian UAVs shot down by the An-28 crew. He added that they also paint commas to distinguish how many targets were intercepted during each sortie.

UAV symbols painted on the fuselage of a Ukrainian An-28 aircraft in a video posted on 5/5. Screenshot

The aircraft is equipped with a US-made machine gun capable of firing 3,000 rounds per minute.

"It costs approximately 500 USD in ammunition to shoot down one UAV. This is a bargain, as enemy UAVs can cost tens of thousands of USD each, while air defense missiles to counter them can run into millions of USD per missile", the New York Times reported.

Before the conflict began, the An-28 was used as a parachute transport plane. Valerey Slipkan, another pilot in the volunteer group, began converting the aircraft for combat missions after losing his son in the early days of the war.

"When I went to air force headquarters, they told me, 'You are too old.' If I couldn't enlist, I would create my own army", Slipkan explained.

Since mid-2025, Ukraine has permitted and encouraged those exempt from military service to participate in countering Russian UAVs, as the country's air defense forces have been unable to intercept all enemy aircraft during attacks.

Volunteer units typically receive deployment orders and target data from the Ukrainian air force. "In the first week, we shot down more than 15 UAVs", Slipkan said.

The An-28 aircraft used by Ukraine to counter Russian UAVs in a video posted on 5/5. Screenshot

The An-28, a product of the Antonov Design Bureau, conducted its first test flight in 1969. It entered service with the Soviet air force and the civilian airline Aeroflot in 1986. A total of 191 aircraft were produced between 1975 and 1993, with 16 still in use in some countries before 2016.

This aircraft represents one of the low-cost options Ukraine employs to counter long-range Russian UAVs. Many UAVs have been destroyed using machine guns mounted on the An-28 transport aircraft, earning it the nickname "Geran hunter".

Ukraine recently upgraded the An-28 series into an "aerial aircraft carrier" capable of launching interceptor drones from underwing pylons. The aircraft is also equipped with optical sensors, which help the crew pinpoint target UAVs before deploying interceptor weapons.

Pham Giang (According to New York Times, Business Insider, United24)