A Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet destroyed a Russian Shahed attack drone using a skilled aerial manoeuvre rather than gunfire, according to footage released on 21 August 2026. The pilot flew the jet extremely close beneath the drone, exploiting the aircraft's turbulent aerodynamic wake to destabilise the unmanned aircraft, causing it to crash and explode. The incident highlights an alternative, ammunition-free method Ukrainian pilots have developed to counter Russia's ongoing use of Shahed-type drones in its war against Ukraine.

The footage shows the sequence in detail: the MiG-29 approaches the drone from below, and the wake turbulence generated by the jet is enough to send the Shahed spiralling out of control before it hits the ground and bursts into a large fireball. The manoeuvre required precise flying given the proximity between the two aircraft, and reflects tactics Ukraine has been using to conserve missiles and ammunition while intercepting Russia's mass drone attacks.