In an underground bunker, the location of which is kept secret, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi is monitoring in real time the strikes launched by Ukrainian drones against Russian forces. On the walls, images transmitted by unmanned devices, front line maps, and tables tallying the destroyed targets are displayed in succession. Each attack is recorded, analyzed, and transformed into a lesson for the next operation.
At 50 years old, with a graying beard and a reputation that makes him one of Moscow’s most sought-after targets, Brovdi leads Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces. Although he avoids public appearances and admits he does not like interviews, he becomes visibly enthusiastic when the discussion turns to mathematics and how it can influence the course of the war.
“Numbers are the foundation of war. Everything starts from here. Whoever ignores this cannot lead the game, but can only follow it”, he declares to the journalists from AFP.
Known primarily by his military call sign, “Madyar”, Brovdi had no military experience prior to the Russian invasion in February 2022. A prosperous businessman in the grain trade, he volunteered to fight and established his own drone unit – “Madyar’s Birds” – at a time when the full importance of this technology was not yet fully understood.
His initiative quickly caught the attention of the Ukrainian army, and in June 2025, President Volodimir Zelenski appointed him to lead the Unmanned Systems Forces.
Brovdi’s journey reflects one of the most significant transformations of the Ukrainian army: the use of innovation and technology to offset Russia’s numerical and material advantage.
“I brought with me to the war the accounting system that I used in business”
“I brought with me to the war the accounting system that I used in business. Instead of grain varieties, I introduced types of drones and ammunition“, he explains.
Under his coordination, some of the most spectacular attacks on Russian territory were carried out. Long-range drones hit refineries, warehouses and military targets, affecting the infrastructure that supports the Kremlin’s war effort.
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