Netherlands-based fund donates Yak-52 to help Ukraine intercept Russian drones

Defense Express reported the information.

The Dutch volunteer foundation, Protect Ukraine, announced it has successfully procured and transferred a Soviet-era Yak-52 propeller plane to aid in the defense of Ukrainian skies. The move comes as Ukrainian forces increasingly utilize these nimble training aircraft as cost-effective "drone destroyers" to shoot down incoming Russian UAVs.

The specific aircraft was reportedly purchased in Great Britain for €78,000. According to the Dutch publication EenVandaag, the plane was previously used for aerobatics, or stunt flying, before being acquired by the foundation and repurposed for combat duty.

This donation is the latest in a series of aid packages from Protect Ukraine, which has previously supplied Ukrainian defenders with motorcycles, vehicles, medical supplies, and even naval drones. The foundation stated it is now actively searching the secondary market to acquire more aircraft of this type.

Originally designed in the Soviet Union as a primary training aircraft, the Yak-52 has proven surprisingly effective in this new air defense role. While the Netherlands is also supplying advanced F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, the Yak-52 represents a practical, low-cost solution for intercepting slower-moving drones. The foundation emphasized that while the aircraft is unconventional, every "little" bit of help is crucial, and this provides an inexpensive method for destroying a persistent aerial threat.

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