Magyar’s Birds took out a Buk-M1, wiped fuel stocks, and hit logistics in Luhansk – all in one night

Ukrainian forces struck multiple Russian military positions in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast overnight on 3 April, Robert “Magyar” Brovdi reported.

According to the statement, the strikes are part of ongoing Ukrainian efforts to weaken Russian defensive capabilities in the region and limit their ability to use heavy weapons effectively. 

Ukrainian drone unit “Magyar’s Birds” destroyed a Buk-M1 air defense system, fuel tanks, and supply depots, according to unit commander Brovdi.

Buk-M1 destroyed near Liubymivka

The Buk-M1, a Soviet-era self-propelled surface-to-air missile system, is designed to target maneuverable aircraft and other aerial threats at altitudes as low as 30 meters. Despite its capabilities, the system was hit by a drone armed with a 60–100 kg warhead near the settlement of Liubymivka.

The Buk-M1 system has been a key part of Russian air defense in the region, capable of engaging low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and cruise missiles. Its destruction marks a significant loss for Russian forces in the area, according to Brovdi.

Additional strikes targeted fuel tanks in Shchotove and logistics depots in Valianivske. Brovdi said all operations were coordinated by the Deep Strike Center of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, which manages drone attacks and prioritizes high-value targets.

EW system, Orion drones, second Buk destroyed across three fronts

Other recent drone strikes demonstrate Ukraine’s continued focus on high-value Russian systems across multiple fronts. 

Also on 3 April, Lasar’s Group of the National Guard destroyed a Russian Palantyn electronic warfare system on the Zaporizhzhia front. The $20 million system had been protecting Russian air defenses, and the strike removed a key obstacle, giving Ukraine freer use of the airspace in the sector.

On 2 April, the 1st SBS unit and 9th GUR detachment targeted a base and pre-flight preparation facility for high-value Orion reconnaissance and strike drones at the Kirovske airfield in Crimea, Brovdi reported.

Four Orion drones, a transport aircraft AN-72P, and a P-37 “Mech” radar system were destroyed in the operation, significantly degrading Russian UAV capabilities in the area.

Earlier, on 1 April, operators of the Unmanned Systems Forces reportedly struck a Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system in Luhansk. The system, a key component of Russia’s layered air defense, was destroyed despite attempts to conceal it in tree lines, with the operation coordinated by the Deep Strike Center.

Drone operations like this illustrate the growing role of unmanned systems in the war, with Ukraine increasingly relying on them to disrupt supply lines, destroy equipment, and target high-value systems across contested territory.