Ukrainian Drones Destroy Three Russian Air Defence Systems Overnight in Occupied Territories

(DONETSK AND ZAPORIZHZHIA OBLASTS) – Ukrainian unmanned systems units have destroyed three out of four Russian surface to air missile systems detected during overnight operations on 23 April in temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Pilots from Unit 13 of the 414th Brigade of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces identified four targets and struck three using domestically produced MiddleStrike B 2 drones equipped with warheads weighing between 7 and 11 kilograms.

The destroyed systems included two Tor M2 air defence systems and one Osa system, according to Ukrainian military sources.

Russian forces launched missiles in an attempt to intercept the incoming drones, but these efforts failed to prevent the strikes.

The latest operation brings the total number of Russian air defence elements destroyed by units of the Unmanned Systems Forces group to 21 between 1 and 23 April.

In parallel operations, drones from the 9th Battalion “Kairos” of the 414th Brigade targeted fuel tankers, manoeuvre assets and several logistics depots belonging to Russian forces in temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Unit 13 is a newly formed pilot unit within the 414th Brigade, created from existing personnel of the 6th and 7th battalions.

Separately, pilots from the 413th Independent Battalion “Raid” of the Unmanned Systems Forces located and struck another Tor M2 system twice in Russia’s Bryansk oblast, in terrain described as marshland. This increases the April tally of destroyed Russian air defence systems to 22.

The information and accompanying footage were released by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.