Four Orion Drones and an An-72P Aircraft Destroyed in Strike on Crimea Airfield.

Assault on the 'Kirovske' Airbase

According to TSN.ua: In the early hours of April 2, 2026, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, in coordination with operatives from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, carried out a successful attack on the 'Kirovske' airfield in occupied Crimea. The operation resulted in the destruction of four Orion unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), an An-72P transport aircraft, and a Mech radar station.

Capabilities of the Orion Drones

The Orion UAVs are capable of staying airborne for up to 24 hours, with an operational range of 250 to 300 kilometers. Each unit can carry up to 250 kilograms of munitions and reach a maximum altitude of 7.5 kilometers. The strike was executed using FP-2 medium-range attack systems.

Robert Brovdi, also known by the call sign 'Madyar', stated: 'On the night of April 2, 2026, the birds of the 1st Separate Battalion of the Unmanned Systems Forces and the 9th Department of the Main Intelligence Directorate paid a courtesy visit to the base and pre-flight preparation site of the latest, high-value Orion strike-reconnaissance UAVs.'

This attack highlights Ukraine’s ongoing campaign to neutralize enemy military assets in temporarily occupied territories.

The operation is part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to bolster its defensive capabilities and counter Russian aggression. By eliminating key military infrastructure in occupied areas, Ukraine aims to degrade the enemy’s operational effectiveness while boosting the morale of its own forces. In the current conflict environment, such precision strikes leveraging drone technology reflect a steady evolution in Ukraine’s combat tactics.