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Ukrainian FPV Drones Wipe Out Russian Grad Launcher Before It Could Escape, Video
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukrainian border guards successfully identified and destroyed a Russian BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) that had been used to shell both Ukrainian defensive positions and civilian infrastructure, according to a report from Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service on July 2.
The system was spotted by the aerial reconnaissance unit of the Border Guard using drones, which tracked the launcher despite the enemy’s attempts to hide and relocate it. FPV (first-person view) drone operators then carried out a precision strike, eliminating the vehicle before it could escape.
“The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine continues its fight for national sovereignty day and night, remaining an integral part of the country’s Defense Forces,” the agency stated.
The BM-21 Grad (“Hail”) is one of the most recognizable and widely used Soviet-designed multiple rocket launchers. Developed in the early 1960s, it was officially adopted into service on March 28, 1963, after a series of field and combat tests. Since then, it has been used in conflicts around the world, including extensively by Russian forces in their war against Ukraine.
Mounted on a Ural-4320 high-mobility truck chassis, the BM-21 is armed with 40 launch tubes capable of firing 122 mm rockets.
A full salvo takes only 20 seconds, covering an impact area of up to 14.5 hectares. The system has a maximum firing range of 40 kilometers, a reload time of 7 minutes, and can retreat from a position within 1 minute after launching an attack.
The launcher’s crew typically consists of three personnel, and the vehicle can carry up to 60 rockets in total.
Despite its age, the Grad has remained a mainstay of Russian artillery. However, as drone warfare intensifies, particularly the widespread use of FPV drones by Ukrainian forces, these Soviet-era systems have become increasingly vulnerable.
Russia has attempted to retrofit BM-21 units with anti-drone defenses, but experts note that the Grad’s design limitations prevent any significant improvement in survivability.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian forces have reportedly destroyed or disabled over 200 BM-21 Grad systems, according to independent open-source intelligence groups like ORYX. These figures suggest a higher proportion of systems destroyed than merely damaged, underscoring the effectiveness of Ukrainian counter-battery and drone strike tactics.
Earlier, Ukrainian troops destroyed a Russian BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket system that was reportedly loaded with chemical munitions.
