Ukrainian forces have reportedly conducted a highly effective drone strike on a Russian military train in occupied southern Ukraine, resulting in the destruction of 13 tanks and over 100 other armored vehicles and equipment. The audacious attack, which occurred around June 7-9, 2025, involved drones reportedly launched from within grain train car hatches, marking a novel tactic in the ongoing conflict.
The significant military loss was initially reported by independent war reporter Igor Sushko on social media, who stated, "💥 BREAKING: Ukrainian drones flew out of grain train car hatches and destroyed 13 Russian tanks and more than a 100 armored vehicles and other equipment being transported by the Russian train in occupied southern Ukraine. The hatches appear to have been opened remotely, again." This claim was subsequently echoed and cited by several international news outlets, including Newsweek and National Interest, and was also claimed by Ukraine's Southern Forces Command.
The attack targeted a crucial logistical supply line for Russian forces, aiming to disrupt their ability to reinforce front-line positions. The method of deploying drones from seemingly innocuous grain cars suggests a sophisticated and covert operation designed to bypass detection and strike deep behind enemy lines. This tactic highlights Ukraine's continuous innovation in drone warfare, leveraging unmanned aerial systems to inflict substantial damage on high-value targets.
The destruction of such a large quantity of military hardware, particularly main battle tanks and armored vehicles, represents a considerable blow to Russia's ground capabilities and logistical efforts in the southern theater. While independent verification of the exact number of destroyed units remains challenging, the reported scale underscores the growing threat posed by Ukrainian drone operations against Russian infrastructure and military convoys. This incident is part of a broader pattern of Ukrainian forces targeting Russian supply routes and military assets far from the front lines, aiming to degrade Moscow's warfighting capacity.