MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Crimean paratroopers on BMD-4M airborne combat vehicles destroyed Ukrainian infantry in a stronghold near Verbovoye settlement in the Orekhov direction in Zaporozhye region. Fifteen Ukrainian servicemen were taken prisoner, the Defense Ministry said.

"The reconnaissance group used drones to detect a Ukrainian stronghold with infantry near Verbovoye. An armored group on fourth-generation BMD-4M vehicles of the Dnieper battlegroup was dispatched to destroy it," it said.

The vehicles fired 100mm guns in motion and destroyed a big number of hostile troops. They completely routed the enemy by pointblank fire from a 30mm coaxial automatic gun.

An assault group then seized the stronghold. "We were told than 15 men surrendered," BMD-4M commander with Kalash call sign said.

BMD-4M is equipped with automated fire controls and a new navigational system. The latest electronic equipment simplifies targeting at high-speed motion on cross-country terrain. The BMD-4M airborne fighting vehicle (codename Sadovnitsa) is a deeply upgraded version of BMD-4 with a new hull, engine, running gear and other units. It is armed with Bakhcha-U combat module comprising 100mm and 30mm guns and a 7.62mm PKT machinegun. The heat imager allows firing day and night.