The commander of Ukraine’s drone forces is banking on wearing down the Russian army
The route to the command post is difficult, and the tinted windows of the vehicles obscure the view of the surroundings. The entrance leads to an underground facility.
Inside, one of the corridors is fitted with bunk beds. A gym is located in another. Screens are mounted along the walls, displaying real-time data, including mission information, strike chains and enemy casualties.
The room contains Ukrainian paintings alongside rockets and explosives. One of the screens shows a video of the final moments in the lives of Russian soldiers.
Before the full-scale invasion began, Robert ‘Madyar’ Brovdi worked in the grain trade. Now 50 years old, he heads Ukraine’s drone forces.
He is regarded as one of the key architects of the strategy for using drones in the war.
Brovdi advocates an approach that involves using drones against individual Russian soldiers.
After four years of war, the main challenge for Ukraine is not only to hold onto territory, but also to reduce the number of Russian forces faster than they can be replenished.
It is estimated that, thanks to the development of this tactic, the situation may shift in Ukraine’s favour.
