Ukraine Drone Strike Kills 65 Sever-Akhmat Cadets in Snizhne, Hitting 11 Times
Updated
Updated · Defense Express · May 21
Ukraine Drone Strike Kills 65 Sever-Akhmat Cadets in Snizhne, Hitting 11 Times
3 articles · Updated · Defense Express · May 21
Ukraine said its Unmanned Systems Forces and the SBU struck a Russian facility in occupied Snizhne overnight on May 20, killing 65 Sever-Akhmat cadets and the site commander, Lieutenant Colonel Buryi.
The operation used 11 planned drone impacts with 100-kilogram warheads, targeting a two-story 2,484-square-meter complex tied to Russia's Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences.
Ukrainian officials said the site housed drone assembly, warhead production and barracks for Russian personnel, indicating the strike aimed to disrupt both manpower and military production.
Secondary explosions followed the initial hits, which Ukraine said pointed to ammunition stored in the basement; the number of wounded was still being clarified.
With autonomous drones bypassing Moscow's defenses, are major cities worldwide now facing an unjammable threat?
Is Ukraine's low-cost drone strategy the new playbook for how smaller nations can challenge military superpowers?
How can international law assign accountability when autonomous drones, not soldiers, make lethal battlefield decisions?
Ukrainian Drone Strike Destroys Russian Missile Academy Center in Snizhne, Killing 65 Cadets and Severely Impacting Chechen Units
Overview
On May 19-20, 2026, Ukrainian forces carried out a well-coordinated drone strike in Snizhne, targeting a major Russian military training facility in occupied territory. The operation, prepared by the Deep Strike Center, UAV Forces intelligence, and the SBU, resulted in the elimination of 65 Russian cadets and the head of the center, Lieutenant Colonel Bury. This strike reduced the number of operational Russian training centers in the region from three to two. The targeted facility was linked to the Russian Academy of Missile and Artillery Sciences and played a key role in training controversial Kadyrovite units, known for their harsh tactics as barrier troops.