A video that has been circulating on social media claims that 24 drone operators have lost their lives in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine after Ukrainian forces attacked a Russian military training field with a Ukraine High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) strike, which is made in the United States, according to NewsWeek. Vladimir Romanov, a Russian military blogger, first reported on the strike near Ilovaisk. He later posted the clip to Telegram, where it was widely shared by Ukrainian networks.

U.S. HIMARS: A Lethal Force in Ukrainian Arsenal

The video footage captures the moment before the strike, showcasing the deadly impact of the Ukraine HIMARS strike on a Russian UAV training center. The U.S. has provided Ukraine with 39 HIMARS to strike Russia through military aid packages, underscoring its lethal capabilities.

Russian sources claim that the strike targeted a location where “exams” for drone operators were taking place, resulting in casualties among valuable Russian UAV operators.

Pro-Kremlin blogger Romanov suggests that the Sudoplatov group, responsible for training drone operators, may have inadvertently exposed their positions, leading to the deadly attack.

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Casualties and Controversy: Sudoplatov’s Role

Reports indicate that 24 Russian servicemen were killed and four wounded in the Ukraine HIMARS strike, with conflicting narratives emerging about the Sudoplatov group’s involvement and attempts to manage the aftermath.

While the situation remains fluid, questions arise about the accountability of Sudoplatov’s leadership as efforts are made to downplay the incident and shift blame onto the victims.

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