{"id":665,"date":"2026-04-19T12:50:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T16:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/?p=665"},"modified":"2026-04-19T12:50:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T16:50:34","slug":"ukrainian-drones-destroy-rare-smerch-battery-in-luhansk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/ukrainian-drones-destroy-rare-smerch-battery-in-luhansk\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukrainian Drones Destroy Rare Smerch Battery in Luhansk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"><strong>(LUHANSK OBLAST, UKRAINE) \u2013<\/strong>\u00a0Ukrainian long range bomber drones have destroyed a rare BM-30 Smerch multiple launch rocket system battery in Luhansk oblast, striking targets deep behind Russian forward positions, according to footage released by the Lazarev Group, a Ukrainian military unit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">The operation destroyed one BM-30 Smerch launcher, one Slepok-1 automated fire control system, and one transport and reloading vehicle. A second BM-30 Smerch launcher was reported damaged but not destroyed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">The video footage, which the Ukrainian unit said showed a deep strike operation, indicates the use of a Baba Yaga type heavy bomber drone. Analysts suggest the strike may have employed artificial intelligence assisted targeting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">The BM-30 Smerch is a 300 mm calibre MLRS system that fires 12 rockets. Unlike precision systems such as HIMARS, the Smerch is designed to saturate concentrated areas including artillery batteries, troop concentrations and ammunition depots. Its maximum range is between 120 km and 200 km depending on the variant, meaning these systems are typically deployed far behind front lines, making them harder to detect, engage and destroy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">Russia maintains approximately 100 Smerch systems in service, significantly fewer than other MLRS platforms such as the Grad or Uragan. According to open source tracking, only six Smerch launchers and two loader vehicles had previously been documented as destroyed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\">The geolocation of the strike was not disclosed beyond Luhansk oblast, the eastern front region towards the north of the country. The Ukrainian unit that released the footage described the engagement as a deep strike, indicating the targets were positioned considerably behind Russian forward defensive lines.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"BM-30 Smerch Battery Destroyed By Long-Range Bomber Drones\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iQT-IYFiHBU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(LUHANSK OBLAST, UKRAINE) \u2013\u00a0Ukrainian long range bomber drones have destroyed a rare BM-30 Smerch multiple launch rocket system battery in Luhansk oblast, striking targets deep behind Russian forward positions, according to footage released by the Lazarev Group, a Ukrainian military unit. The operation destroyed one BM-30 Smerch launcher, one Slepok-1 automated fire control system, and one transport and reloading vehicle. A second BM-30 Smerch launcher was reported damaged but not destroyed. The video footage, which the Ukrainian unit said showed a deep strike operation, indicates the use of a Baba Yaga type heavy bomber drone. Analysts suggest the strike may&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","iawp_total_views":52,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-europe","category-video","entry","rows"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1108,"url":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/rare-russian-tornado-s-destroyed-in-convoy-north-of-crimea\/","url_meta":{"origin":665,"position":0},"title":"Rare Russian Tornado-S Destroyed in Convoy North of Crimea","author":"Elise Dumont","date":"April 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"(CRIMEA) \u2013 A rare Russian Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) has been struck by a Ukrainian drone while travelling in a convoy in occupied Crimea. The strike occurred as the convoy moved north towards the Zaporizhzhia region. Video footage released by Ukrainian defence sources shows a drone, type unconfirmed,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Video&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Video","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/category\/video\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/U3iyElZKWEM\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1013,"url":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/nine-russian-officers-reported-killed-in-drone-attack-on-58th-army-command-post-in-luhansk\/","url_meta":{"origin":665,"position":1},"title":"Nine Russian Officers Reported Killed in Drone Attack on 58th Army Command Post in Luhansk","author":"Rupert Finch","date":"April 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"(LUHANSK OBLAST) - Ukrainian forces have carried out a series of drone strikes targeting Russian military command positions and security service facilities in occupied eastern and southern Ukraine, according to reports and video evidence released online. Footage shows an FP-2 strike drone hitting a building in Kadiivka in Luhansk Oblast,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Video&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Video","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/category\/video\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/3RiTLAsTuoA\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":690,"url":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/ukraine-hits-two-samara-refineries-in-sustained-drone-offensive\/","url_meta":{"origin":665,"position":2},"title":"Ukraine Hits Two Samara Refineries in Sustained Drone Offensive","author":"Elise Dumont","date":"April 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"(SAMARA OBLAST, RUSSIA) -\u00a0Ukraine conducted a large wave of drone attacks into Russian territory overnight, striking multiple energy targets and setting at least two oil refineries ablaze in the Samara Oblast. The strikes, which targeted facilities across five regions, are part of a sustained campaign aimed at degrading Russian military\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Europe&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Europe","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/8ICGT0-E6ew\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":904,"url":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/ukrainian-drones-destroy-three-russian-air-defence-systems-overnight-in-occupied-territories\/","url_meta":{"origin":665,"position":3},"title":"Ukrainian Drones Destroy Three Russian Air Defence Systems Overnight in Occupied Territories","author":"Elise Dumont","date":"April 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"(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\u2019s Unmanned Systems Forces\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Europe&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Europe","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/Ge9_NJxfNME\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1496,"url":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/watch-ukrainian-third-army-corps-declares-fire-control-over-occupied-luhansk-logistics\/","url_meta":{"origin":665,"position":4},"title":"Watch: Ukrainian Third Army Corps Declares Fire Control Over Occupied Luhansk Logistics","author":"Beatrix Montgomery","date":"June 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"(KYIV, UKRAINE) \u2013 Ukrainian medium range strike operations against Russian ground lines of communication are disrupting enemy logistics across the entire theatre of operations, from occupied Luhansk region to Crimea, according to a new assessment by the Institute for the Study of War. The report, cited by UNN, concludes that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Europe&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Europe","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":714,"url":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/ukrainian-drones-destroy-two-russian-air-defence-systems-in-occupied-territories\/","url_meta":{"origin":665,"position":5},"title":"Ukrainian Drones Destroy Two Russian Air Defence Systems in Occupied Territories","author":"Maddie Thorne","date":"April 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"(NOVOOLEKSANDRIVKA, DONETSK OBLAST \/ MELITOPOL, ZAPORIZHZHIA OBLAST) - Ukrainian unmanned systems units have destroyed two additional Russian air defence elements in occupied territories of eastern and southern Ukraine between 19 and 20 April, according to material released on 20 April by Ukrainian military-linked sources. The latest strikes reportedly targeted the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Europe&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Europe","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/NxqICeFAQvY\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/ph9U0T-aJ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=665"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":666,"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665\/revisions\/666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}