A Ukrainian MiG 29 fighter jet successfully intercepted and destroyed a Russian Shahed drone in daylight, marking a rare break from the Kremlin’s usual night-time air raids. The Ukrainian Air Force released dramatic cockpit footage of the event, showing the missile strike carried out by a skilled pilot with the call sign Denfix.
This aerial victory took place during an early morning mission, conducted by Ukraine’s Western Air Command. Unlike usual Shahed drone attacks launched under the cover of darkness, this drone was deployed at sunrise. This made visual detection and targeting far easier. Denfix, a veteran pilot with more than 20 successful interceptions of enemy drones and cruise missiles, noted that clearer visibility greatly improved the chances of a precise strike.
The MiG 29 aircraft, despite being a Soviet era multi-role fighter, has remained a key tool in Ukraine’s air defence strategy. Its agility and the pilots’ precision continue to prove vital in combating an enemy that often relies on low-flying, radar-evading drones like the Iranian-designed Shahed.
Ukraine’s air defence strategy is a layered system involving anti-aircraft missile units, mobile fire teams, electronic warfare systems and, when required, fighter jets. This multi-level network has been instrumental in protecting the country’s skies from increasingly frequent and complex drone and missile attacks by Russian forces.
