From New York Post · · 2m
Ukrainian shotguns take aim at Russian drones
As FPV drones terrorize Zaporizhzhia, civilians are buying semiautomatic shotguns to defend themselves from the sky.
In brief
As FPV drones terrorize Zaporizhzhia, civilians are buying semiautomatic shotguns to defend themselves from the sky. Shotguns are becoming a civilian defense tool against Russian FPV drones in Ukraine, with demand rising as attacks spread from soldiers to ordinary people. Originally reported by New York Post.
Shotguns become anti-drone weapons
Ukrainian gun shop owner Volodymyr Sukhomlyn now sells semiautomatic shotguns primarily to shoot down Russian FPV drones, a dramatic shift from their pre-war use for hunting.
FPV drones plague Zaporizhzhia
Russian First-Person-View drones allow pilots to fly bombs directly onto targets, buzzing over the city like giant mosquitoes before striking. They've become a constant threat since summer.
City under constant aerial assault
Zaporizhzhia, a city of 750,000 on the Dnipro River, faces daily attacks from FPV drones, missiles, and Iranian-made Shaheed drones that sound like lawnmowers. Three shopping malls have been hit in two months.
Demand shifts from rifles to shotguns
When the war started, Ukrainians wanted rifles. Now shotguns dominate sales because their wide pellet spray offers better odds of hitting fast-moving drones if you train properly.
“If you train properly, your chances of bringing an FPV down are quite high.”
Civilians become drone targets
Bus drivers, cabbies, and farmers now buy shotguns as drones attack civilians in supermarkets and government buildings. The threat has spread far beyond the battlefield.
“It used to be just a problem for soldiers, now it's one for civilians, too.”
Training for the impossible shot
Some Ukrainian shooting ranges now offer VR training courses to practice shooting down FPVs. Even so, hitting a drone traveling over 100 miles per hour that can weave and duck remains extremely difficult.
A trophy like big game hunting
A destroyed FPV drone now hangs on the wall of Sukhomlyn's gun store as a trophy, displayed like a lion's head from the era of big game hunting.
Extreme danger, extreme difficulty
A US military volunteer in Ukraine recalls nearly being chased by an FPV drone while driving from the battlefield. Shooting one down is possible but terrifying, depending on distance, pilot skill, and your own nerves.
“You can bring one down with a shotgun, but it's certainly not easy.”
At a glance
Shotguns are becoming a civilian defense tool against Russian FPV drones in Ukraine, with demand rising as attacks spread from soldiers to ordinary people.
