VIDEO “Last seen before meeting a Vampire drone”. The moment two Russian Grad systems are destroyed by Baba Yaga UAVs in Donetsk
A Russian “Grad” self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires in the direction of Ukrainian positions. Image published on January 16, 2025. PHOTO: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service / AP / Profimedia
Ukrainian forces have destroyed two Russian Grad multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in the Donetsk region, dealing a blow to the long-range firepower of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, Kiev's military said.
Russian Grad BM-21 systems were struck from above by the powerful Vampire drones – often nicknamed “Baba Yaga” – during an operation on Tuesday, according to the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian military unit “Birds of Magyar”, Kyiv Post writes.
Video footage of the attack by these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was later published by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on the X social network.
“Lost: two Russian BM-21 Grad systems. Last seen before encounter with a Ukrainian Vampire drone,” the Ukrainian ministry wrote in the message accompanying the images.
The attack was carried out by units of the 414th Unmanned Systems Brigade “Birds of Magyar” alongside the forces of the Svoboda Battalion.
The video footage shows two MLRS launchers being hit directly on their firing platforms.
Lost: two Russian BM-21 Grads.
Last seen before an encounter with a Ukrainian Vampire drone.📹: Unmanned Systems Forces pic.twitter.com/Ul3b2VBgSs
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) December 25, 2025
The Grad systems can hit targets up to 20 kilometers away and have been among the most frequently used weapons by the Russian military since the start of the full-scale invasion.
The “Birds of Magyar” unit, known for its precision drone strikes, was formed in the first months of the war by Ukrainian businessman and volunteer fighter Robert Brovdi, known as “Magyar”.
The successful attack by Ukrainian forces came as Russia continued its attacks on civilian targets across Ukraine. On Christmas Eve, Russian forces bombed infrastructure and targeted civilian vehicles. In the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, two drivers were killed in drone attacks. Energy infrastructure was also damaged, causing power outages and leaving many residents without heat.
