Ukrainian Defense Forces Eliminate Commander of Kadyrov Drone Unit

The Ukrainian Defense Forces have eliminated a commander of the Russian “Akhmat” special unit’s UAV group, known by the callsign “Amur”, according to a statement by Apti Alaudinov, head of the unit on April 4.

“Amur” led a Kadyrov-affiliated drone group operating under the Russian Ministry of Defense. In a message shared on social media, Alaudinov referred to the deceased as a “commander of the aerial drone forces” and confirmed his death, though he did not provide details regarding the circumstances or location.

Open-source intelligence indicates that the unit led by “Amur” employed FPV drones, including those connected via fiber-optic cables, as well as “Molniya-2” loitering munitions and Supercam reconnaissance drones.

These systems have been used by Russian forces in various combat zones since the start of the full-scale invasion.

As of late March 2025, the unit was reportedly active in Russia’s Kursk region. Due to this, it is considered unlikely that the death of “Amur” was connected to a recent explosion involving a Russian armored vehicle near Melitopol.

On April 4, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence reported that a Russian “Tigr” armored vehicle was destroyed in a blast on the outskirts of temporarily occupied Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region. The vehicle was carrying members of the “Vostok-Akhmat” unit, part of Russia’s occupation forces. At least five Kadyrov-affiliated fighters were reportedly killed in the explosion. No further details were disclosed.

According to previous assessments, Ramzan Kadyrov’s influence over Russian security forces has significantly expanded since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In early 2022, his forces were linked to seven units under nominal Russian command.

By December 2024, that number had increased to 20. During a year-end review, Kadyrov claimed that around 25,000 personnel were under his control, although independent verification of those figures remains unavailable.

The Ukrainian military continues targeting key figures within Russia’s occupation forces, particularly commanders of specialized units such as UAV operators.

Earlier, Ramzan Kadyrov’s 17-year-old son, Adam Kadyrov, was appointed curator of Chechnya’s Interior Ministry. Despite his age, he has held multiple supervisory roles in regional security structures, including oversight of military units and the Russian University of Special Forces.

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