Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces eliminated Russian Major General Anton Grunis, commander of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the occupation forces, during a nighttime operation in occupied Donetsk Oblast. According to Robert Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, the strike on the enemy facility was carried out by fighters from the 427th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade “Rarog” on the night of September 12, 2026.
OSINT analyst Dominik identified the strike location in temporarily occupied Horlivka, approximately 50 kilometers behind enemy lines. Footage of the nighttime strikes against buildings, released by the Ukrainian military, captures the operation of AI-assisted Anubis strike drones.
Grunis’s death was confirmed on September 16 by Apti Alaudinov, deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces and commander of the “Akhmat” special forces. Russian Telegram channels had previously reported the general’s death but long concealed the circumstances for his liquidation.
The eliminated occupier commanded the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade (formerly the “Prizrak” group, which was incorporated into the 3rd Guards Combined Arms Army of the Russian Southern Military Organization). The brigade fought in Luhansk Oblast before being redeployed to Donetsk Oblast to participate in assaults near Chasiv Yar and on the approaches to Kostiantynivka. Grunis gained widespread “recognition” within the Russian command in July when he personally reported to Vladimir Putin on the alleged full capture of Kostiantynivka—a city that Ukrainian forces continue to successfully hold. Just two weeks ago, the Russian leadership awarded the general the Golden Star of Hero of Russia.
Brovdi noted that Anton Grunis has become the seventh confirmed high-ranking Russian commander at the brigade, division, or army level to be destroyed by units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine.
