Russian Storm Ossetia battalion chief of staff killed in Ukrainian drone attack, military intelligence claims

Ukrainian Kraken unit killed Sergei Melnikov, the chief of staff of Russia's Storm Ossetia battalion, and his driver in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in late December, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on Jan. 5.

The Ukrainian military had planned the ambush using FPV drones in advance, having obtained details of Melnikov's route and schedule, HUR said.

Melnikov and his driver were traveling along the Vasylivka-Tokmak highway on Dec. 29, when the latter drove off the road due to a drone attack, according to the agency.

"Then the military intelligence officers hit the windshield with a kamikaze drone," HUR claimed, sharing footage showing the attack.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Storm Ossetia is a Russian assault unit within the 429th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces. It was formed in Russia's Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in 2022 to take part in Moscow's all-out war against Ukraine.

Drone kills Russian journalist in occupied Donetsk Oblast, wounds 5 others, Russian media reports

Russia’s Izvestia newspaper reported on Jan. 4 that a Ukrainian “kamikaze” drone attack killed one of its freelance reporters, Alexander Martemyanov, while he was traveling on a highway in occupied eastern Ukraine.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova