HUR’s Artan Unit Wrecks Russian Armor in ‘One of the Largest Offensives’ in South (2025)

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has released footage showing the destruction of a Russian assault group during one of the largest recent offensives in the Zaporizhzhia sector on April 16.

The video, shared by the Artan Active Operations Unit via Telegram on April 22, is captioned: “For the first time, we are showing epic footage of the destruction of a Russian group that the invaders threw into a breakthrough attempt in the Zaporizhzhia sector.”

According to the unit, Russian forces launched a large-scale assault just before the Easter holidays, targeting positions held by Ukraine’s Defense Forces, specifically in Artan’s area of responsibility.

“More than 300 troops, 40 armored combat vehicles, 3 tanks, and about 10 buggies advanced in 6 columns,” reads the report.

As soon as the columns moved, Artan’s FPV drone operators and artillery units began their counterstrike. The first three Russian infantry fighting vehicles (BMPs) were reportedly destroyed about eight kilometers from the contact line.

The footage, which Kyiv Post could not independently verify, likely shows the moment of this initial strike.

“The rest of the column was also dismantled as it approached our positions,” said Artan commander “Titan.”

According to the report, the Artan unit destroyed or disabled 15 pieces of equipment and eliminated around 100 Russian soldiers during the assault.

Soldiers from the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Transcarpathian Brigade, operating in the Zaporizhzhia sector, also shared details of the April 16 attack with Podrobitsy media outlet.

According to the brigade, it was the largest assault they had seen in a long time. Fighters said Russian forces advanced in multiple columns simultaneously and from different directions.

The deputy commander of the brigade’s unmanned systems battalion, known by the call sign “Hans,” said:

“Several columns were moving at the same time. They were stopped in time thanks to the joint, coordinated actions of the Defense Forces of Ukraine operating in the Zaporizhzhia sector.”

He added that artillery units, drone operators, and other frontline forces “all worked perfectly.”

In total, Ukrainian forces claim to have killed 140 Russian troops and destroyed or damaged 29 vehicles during the operation.

As reported by Kyiv Post, on April 16, Russian forces launched a large-scale assault in the Zaporizhzhia region near the settlements of Pyatykhatky, Stepove, Lobkove, Mala Tokmachka, and Mali Shcherbaky, according to Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces.

The attack involved around 320 troops, 40 armored vehicles, three tanks, and a dozen buggies from units of Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army.

Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance spotted the assault, prompting artillery and drone strikes. The battle lasted over 2 hours, resulting in 140 Russian troops killed, 29 vehicles destroyed, and three tanks damaged. Ukraine held its positions.

Aerial footage of the clash was published online, showing multiple explosions and strikes, though Kyiv Post couldn’t independently verify the time and location.

Junior Sergeant Stanislav Bunyatov called it “one of the largest offensives” and mocked the failed attempt.