Ukrainian drone operators have destroyed russian BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system on the Zaporizhzhia front, dealing another blow to one of Moscow's most widely used artillery platforms. The strike took place near the town of Huliaipole and was carried out by FPV drone operators from the Asgard Battalion of the Nemesis 412th Brigade.
According to the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, the target was first detected and tracked by aerial reconnaissance teams from the 414th Brigade. Their surveillance assets provided both target acquisition and objective control, allowing FPV drone operators to coordinate a precise strike against the launcher.
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Footage released by Ukrainian forces shows the moment the FPV drone impacted the BM-21 system. Seconds later, a powerful secondary detonation erupted as the launcher's onboard ammunition began exploding directly at the firing position. The blast suggests the rocket system was either fully loaded or preparing for combat use at the time of the strike.
The BM-21 Grad remains one of the most dangerous artillery systems in russian service due to its ability to rapidly saturate large areas with rockets. A single launcher can fire 40 rockets in under 20 seconds, striking targets across an area of up to 20 hectares before quickly relocating to avoid counterfire.
Its mobility and short firing cycle make the Grad a difficult target for conventional artillery or air strikes. This challenge has increasingly shifted the burden of counter-battery warfare onto reconnaissance drones and fast attack FPV systems capable of reacting in near real time.
As Defense Express previously reported, operators from Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces have carried out a coordinated series of strikes against russian air defense systems, fuel infrastructure, and command assets across multiple frontline sectors.
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