Ukraine’s HIMARS and Drones Crush Russian Armored Push Near Pokrovsk in Devastating Ambush
POKROVSK, Ukraine — In a dramatic display of battlefield prowess, Ukrainian forces obliterated a Russian armored column advancing toward the strategic city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region on August 28, 2025. The meticulously coordinated nighttime assault, executed by the 79th Air Assault Brigade and U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket systems, left at least 50 Russian soldiers dead and an entire convoy of tanks, armored vehicles, and motorcycles reduced to smoldering wreckage, according to local outlet DROBRO.
The operation began when Ukrainian reconnaissance spotted the Russian mechanized group, roughly 100 strong, moving from the village of Prohres toward Malynivka, about six miles behind Russian lines. The convoy, which included seven armored vehicles, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and troops on motorcycles, was a rare sight in an area where Russian forces had largely relied on small infantry units to avoid drone strikes. Seizing the opportunity, Ukraine’s Ivan Franko Group, part of the 79th Brigade, guided a HIMARS missile strike that slammed into the column mid-movement, shattering its formation.
ВСУ з “Хаймарсів” розгромили колону росіян під Покровськом: багато загиблих, техніка горить (Відео)https://t.co/KPpgY5mCc4 pic.twitter.com/Ybo3s5djrI
— Дрогобич чиНа ❗️ DroBro7/24 (@DroBro10) September 1, 2025
As chaos ensued, Ukrainian FPV drones swooped in, picking off disabled vehicles and stragglers. A second HIMARS volley sealed the convoy’s fate, ensuring no vehicle escaped. Drone footage released by the 79th Brigade captures the precision and devastation: fiery explosions light up the night, leaving behind a graveyard of twisted metal. Ukrainian paratroopers estimate the targeted unit may have been part of Russia’s 155th Naval Infantry Brigade, recently redeployed from Kursk Oblast to bolster Moscow’s faltering Donbas offensive.
The strike underscores Ukraine’s growing mastery of combined arms tactics, blending cutting-edge drone warfare with high-precision Western weaponry. Pokrovsk, a vital logistics hub atop massive coal reserves, has been a focal point of Russia’s relentless push in Donetsk, with Moscow amassing over 100,000 troops in the region this summer, according to Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi. Yet, Ukraine’s defenders have repeatedly thwarted these advances, inflicting staggering losses—reports suggest Russia suffered up to 45,000 casualties in the Pokrovsk direction in early 2025 alone.
For American and European audiences, this story highlights Ukraine’s resilience in the face of a numerically superior foe. The region around Pokrovsk, though scarred by war, is part of Ukraine’s vibrant east, home to historic cities like Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, where culture and courage endure. Visitors to Ukraine’s safer western regions, like nearby Lviv, can explore a nation that fights not just for survival but for a future aligned with democratic values. The destruction of this Russian column sends a clear message: Ukraine’s spirit—and its firepower—remains unbreakable.