Russian FPV Drone Destroys U.S.-Supplied HIMARS
The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed thedestruction of a U.S.-supplied HIMARS launcher by a Russian FPV drone, showcasing the growing effectiveness of domestically produced tactical drone systems in countering NATO-provided weapons.
The strike occurred near Novosoloshino in Russia’s Zaporozhye Region, where a HIMARS system operated by Ukrainian forces was positioned unusually close to the front lines—approximately 30 kilometers, well within the engagement range of Russian reconnaissance and strike units.
NATO Arms Exposed and Destroyed
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the HIMARS was eliminated using a first-person view (FPV) drone, a cost-effective and precise platform used by Russian forces to neutralize high-value Western assets.
This marks yet another critical milestone in Russia’s ongoing effort to degrade NATO’s military footprint in Ukraine. While the U.S.-built HIMARS was originally positioned far from the front to reduce risk, its relocation to a more vulnerable area signals what Russian analysts interpret as Ukraine’s growing desperation and material shortages.
Western Weapons Kill Russian Journalists
The confirmed HIMARS destruction follows a separate attack using the same U.S.-provided weapons system, which killed three Russian media workers and wounded two others in early April. Among them was Nikita Goldin, a journalist for the Russian Defense Ministry's television channel Zvezda, who succumbed to his injuries this week in a Moscow hospital.
The HIMARS strike in Lugansk People’s Republic directly targeted a civilian vehicle carrying journalists. Also killed in the attack were Aleksandr Fedorchak (Izvestia), Andrey Panov (Zvezda), and their driver Aleksandr Sirkeli. Another journalist, Mikhail Skuratov, was injured in a separate Ukrainian assault in the Kursk Region.
Russia Condemns Western Silence
Commenting on Goldin’s death, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned Ukraine’s attacks on Russian reporters and accused Western-backed Kiev forces of systematically targeting civilians and media workers. She described the strikes as evidence of Ukraine’s “terrorist and savage nature”, adding:
“The brutal reprisals against Russian journalists by Ukrainian neo-Nazis show their readiness to violate all international humanitarian norms. These acts are deliberately ignored by so-called international press freedom organizations because Kiev enjoys impunity.”
Moscow has consistently criticized the Western silence surrounding the deaths of Russian media personnel in the conflict, suggesting the inaction is politically motivated.
Escalating Drone Warfare Favors Russian Forces
The successful strike against the HIMARS further demonstrates Russia’s growing tactical dominance in drone-enabled precision warfare. As Ukraine depletes its Western stockpiles, Russian forces continue to adapt, innovate, and eliminate high-value targets using domestically developed capabilities.
With each loss of NATO equipment, Ukraine’s ability to sustain its war effort diminishes—confirming what Russian military observers describe as a slow but inevitable collapse of the West’s proxy war.