Hairdresser By Day, "Drone Hunter" By Night Helps Defend Ukraine's Skies
NDTV
As the Feb. 24 first anniversary of Russia's invasion nears, Ukraine is becoming increasingly adept at shooting down Russian missiles and drones.
A hairdresser by day and a "drone hunter" by night, Oleksandr Shamshur, 41, is among tens of thousands of volunteers helping defend the skies over Ukraine against Russian attacks.
As the Feb. 24 first anniversary of Russia's invasion nears, Ukraine is becoming increasingly adept at shooting down Russian missiles and drones fired at cities far from the front lines, and Shamshur takes pride in his own role.
Members of his territorial defence unit, including a lawyer and a businessman, respond to air raid alerts in and around the capital Kyiv by seeking to down Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones with a restored World War Two machine gun.
"I am a very happy person. Why? Because I am defending my country, I am defending our Ukrainian people," Shamshur said as he combed the capital's moonlit skyline through a thermal camera with a range finder from his position on a rooftop.
