In the second week of April, between the 8th and 14th, 2025, the skies over Donbas remained thick with conflict as the 414th Separate Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, known as the Magyar Birds, launched an unrelenting aerial assault on Kremlin occupiers. Drone warfare continued to escalate, with over 6,000 combat sorties executed, marking one of the most intense weeks since the onset of the full-scale invasion.
From above, Ukrainian pilots, drone operators, and reconnaissance teams methodically targeted enemy personnel, tanks, and military infrastructure. The mission was clear: inflict maximum losses to stall Russian advances and cripple their capacity to replenish frontline forces.
A total of 1,430 enemy targets were confirmed as destroyed or damaged within the week. That equates to one strike every seven minutes throughout the day and night. This marks an improvement from March’s average of one target every eight minutes.
Destruction Data (April 8–14, 2025)
| Target Type | Quantity Destroyed |
|---|---|
| Heavy Armoured Vehicles (Tanks, IFVs) | 59 units |
| Light Armoured Vehicles (Buggy, ATVs) | 206 units |
| MLRS “Grad” Systems | 4 (3 destroyed, 1 damaged) |
| Self-Propelled Artillery Systems | 6 |
| Personnel Eliminated (“worms”) | 518 (315 KIA) |
| Shelters Dismantled | 274 |
| Dugouts Destroyed | 242 |
| Ammunition Depots | 10 |
| Electronic Warfare (EW) Sites | 6 trench units, 10 antennas |
| FPV Drones Used | 2,206 |
| Total Sorties | 6,084 |
The term “yoblik”—Ukrainian slang for disposed Russian invaders—is becoming a statistical norm, with 74 yobliks disposed daily, many via direct FPV drone strikes. This marks a significant operational benchmark, drawing attention to Ukraine’s growing reliance on small unmanned systems for close-target elimination.
Of the 518 Russian soldiers neutralised, 315 were confirmed fatalities, while 203 were injured and unable to return to combat. These figures reflect Ukraine’s intensified focus on manpower attrition, now representing 36.5 percent of all targeted objectives for the week—slightly down from the previous fortnight, attributed to the spring bloom offering increased cover for enemy troops.
The use of advanced FPV drones allowed Ukrainian forces to collapse concrete bridges and immobilise Russian movement corridors. In one documented strike, a “Grad” system attempting to conceal itself in a courtyard was obliterated with surgical precision. Ukrainian pilots showed that even simple-looking drones, when masterfully controlled, can dismantle strategic enemy infrastructure.
| Item/Unit | Number or Symbolic Value |
|---|---|
| Night Bomber Strikes | 1,394 successful attacks |
| Reconnaissance Sorties (Mavic drones) | 2,408 |
| Symbolic Number of Light Vehicles | 206 (reflecting 206th TDF Battalion roots) |
| Personnel Lost per 19 Minutes | 1 yoblik |
| Equipment Loss Rate | 1 every 7 minutes |
The Magyar Birds, known for their elite drone warfare capabilities and formed from the TDF’s 206th battalion, are carrying out thousands of missions with relentless energy and morale. Each new day in Donbas tells the same story—ruins, scorched metal, and the unmistakable Ukrainian will to resist and overcome.
With May 9—a symbolic date that Putin had once hoped would mark Ukrainian surrender—approaching, Ukrainian fighters are instead marking it as a potential victory milestone. The commander of the Magyar Birds reminded troops of their 2023 pledge to return home victorious around that time. Now, in April 2025, their resolve remains unbroken.
“We have ambitious plans. We will finish the worms,” the report ended.
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