Elite units from Russia's military intelligence (GRU) were based at the facility, which they were reportedly using as a command and coordination hub.
18:11, Sun, Dec 28, 2025 Updated: 18:15, Sun, Dec 28, 2025
A Russian military command post is hit in Ukraine (Image: Ukraine Army)
Ukraine's specialist drone units delivered a knock out blow on Russian special forces in a devastating attack on Boxing Day. The strike targeted a military facility in the village of Berdyanske in the hotly contested Donetsk region.
Elite units from Russia's military intelligence (GRU) were based at the facility, which they were reportedly using as a command and coordination hub. Ukraine-produced FP-1 and FP-2 drones were used in the military operation, which inflicted heavy casualties. Five buildings were hit in the attack, with one struck twice.
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The Birds of the USF pecked elite GRU personnel.
Overnight on December 26, the Birds of the @1uas_army of the USF struck elite GRU personnel of the 14th GRU Brigade in Berdianske, Donetsk Oblast.
The head of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) Robert “Madyar” Brovdi confirmed the attack in statement to his social media channels.
He claimed that at least 51 Russian servicemen were confirmed killed and 74 wounded.
Further analysis is ongoing to determine the exact number of missing or trapped under debris.
In his X social media post, Brovdi wrote: "The Birds of the USF pecked elite GRU personnel.
"Overnight on December 26, the Birds of the of the SBS struck elite GRU personnel of the 14th GRU Brigade in Berdianske, Donetsk Oblast.
"More than 120 were killed or wounded, according to confirmed operational information. As a result of the reconnaissance-strike operation against the occupier’s command post and troop deployment areas:
"51 – KIA • 74 – WIA • xx – missing in action (very well done).
"The 14th GRU Brigade is an elite unit based in Ussuriysk, tasked with military intelligence, reconnaissance, and special operations for Russia’s GRU."
Ukraine's military claimed the losses were the biggest ever suffered by the GRU in a single incident.
They amounted to almost half the total casualties suffered by Russian military intelligence units during both Chechen wars.
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