A Russian Tigr armoured vehicle was destroyed in an explosion on the outskirts of Melitopol in the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region on April 3, 2025. The blast resulted in the death of at least five Kadyrovites, members of the Russian-backed Vostok-Akhmat invasion unit, which is part of the Russian Ministry of Defence. The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported the incident, stating that the vehicle contained a crew and a landing party from the Vostok-Akhmat unit.
The details of the operation that led to the explosion have not been disclosed, and Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed the weapon or method used to carry out the attack. However, the explosion is seen as a significant blow to the Russian occupying forces in the region.
The Vostok-Akhmat unit was formed in September 2022 by order of Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader who has been a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This battalion is actively involved in Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and has been participating in the occupation of various Ukrainian territories, including the Zaporizhzhia region.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has also reported another successful operation on March 20, 2025, when a vehicle carrying Russian officers was destroyed in the Russian-occupied city of Skadovsk, located in the Kherson region. The vehicle was reduced to a “pile of twisted metal,” according to Ukrainian sources.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has made it clear that these attacks are part of Ukraine’s strategy to weaken the occupying forces and send a clear message to those responsible for war crimes: there will be retribution for every crime committed against the Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian Special Services have repeatedly targeted vehicles carrying Russian officials or individuals linked to the Russian administration in the occupied territories and within Russia itself.
While neither side usually claims responsibility for such explosions, Ukrainian officials have sometimes hinted at the involvement of Ukraine’s Resistance Forces in these operations. The destruction of Russian military vehicles and the death of Kadyrovites in Melitopol represent another example of the ongoing resistance against Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
