Ukrainian pilot destroys drone with cannon at point-blank range

Dramatic video circulating online captures an unusual moment in Ukrainian skies: a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet pursues a Russian Garan-4 drone at low altitude, closes to extremely short range and opens fire with the aircraft's cannon.

According to reports from Russian military correspondents, the drone was hit and exploded in mid-air, with the MiG-29 passing directly beside the blast zone. The footage shows the aircraft continuing its flight after the intercept, trailing smoke behind it.

The incident is highly unusual because the pilot used the MiG's built-in cannon. That means the aircraft had to close to a far shorter distance from the drone, execute precise fire and pull away quickly after the hit.

Seconds from disaster: fighter pilot enters explosion cloud after destroying drone with cannon (Photo: Social media)

The Garan-4 is a newer generation of Russia's Garan family of drones, fitted with a jet engine and therefore significantly faster than earlier models. According to analyses published in recent months, it can reach speeds of hundreds of kilometres per hour, making it a more challenging target for air-defence systems.

For a fighter pilot, this type of intercept is no simple task. When using a cannon, the aircraft must enter very close range to the target, and in the event of a mid-air explosion it may find itself inside a cloud of debris and drone fragments. In the current footage, the MiG is seen passing extremely close to the point of detonation.

This is not the first time a Ukrainian MiG-29 has been recorded intercepting a Garan-4. In recent months, footage has been released of MiG-29s pursuing the jet-powered drone and bringing it down, including video of a Garan-4 destroyed over the Odessa region using the aircraft's cannon.