Ukrainian $1K Drone Destroys $100K Russian 2S1 “Gvozdika” Howitzer in Urban Strike

An FPV drone operated by Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces successfully eliminated a Russian 2S1 “Gvozdika” self-propelled howitzer positioned between residential buildings in the center of Myrnohrad, Donetsk region, according to footage released on February 4 by the 25th Separate Sicheslav Air Assault Brigade.

The drone strike was conducted in coordination with the 38th Separate Marine Brigade, whose reconnaissance units identified the target amid urban infrastructure. The Ukrainian drone battalion then carried out both the targeting and the strike.

According to the 25th Air Assault Brigade, the operation resulted in the complete destruction of the artillery platform due to detonation of its onboard ammunition. “One drone. Precise hit. Ammunition detonation. The enemy gun burned down completely,” the unit reported in its official statement.

The destroyed Russian 2S1 “Gvozdika” had reportedly been firing at positions of Ukrainian defense forces in the area. The use of a first-person-view (FPV) drone—estimated to cost around $1,000—to disable a military system worth approximately $100,000 highlights Ukraine’s continued reliance on cost-effective aerial platforms to counter heavier Russian weapons.

The 2S1 “Gvozdika” is a Soviet-era 122mm self-propelled howitzer, first introduced in the 1970s. Built on a modified MT-LB armored chassis, it is fully amphibious and designed for mobility across various terrains.

The system features a 122mm howitzer capable of indirect and direct fire, with a maximum firing range of approximately 15 kilometers. Despite its age, the 2S1 remains widely used by Russian forces and has seen extensive deployment throughout the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces reported that Russian troops had deployed captured US‑made M113 armored personnel carriers during an attempted assault near the village of Hryshyne in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. At least one of the vehicles was destroyed by operators from the Panama drone unit of Ukraine’s 1st Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, while another withdrew.

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