Madyar Outlined Five Steps to Protect the Baltic States from a Possible Russian Offensive
Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems Forces, outlined five key steps that, in his view, will help the Baltic states effectively deter a potential Russian offensive. In particular, he emphasized that each brigade must have an unmanned systems unit consisting of at least 300 crews.
“Madyar” identified the first step as the immediate creation of a buffer zone 2 to 5 kilometers wide along the border with Russia—according to him, this distance is “ideal” for the dense deployment of drones capable of preventing enemy movement. To achieve this, he added, the terrain must be prepared in advance: specific sections of forest must be cleared, and the terrain adapted to the needs of unmanned defense.
Brovdi identified the second element as the deployment of an extensive network of fiber-optic communication lines, to which UAV launch sites will be connected. This will allow operators to control the drones remotely from secure command posts rather than directly from the front lines.
The commander of the SBS identified the third point as the immediate formation of a mobile air defense component, specializing specifically in countering various types of unmanned aerial vehicles—from FPV drones and reconnaissance aircraft to loitering munitions such as the Shahed.
The fourth step involves creating, within each brigade, separate Unmanned Systems Forces units comprising at least 300 crews, which will cover various areas of operation—patrolling, deep reconnaissance, as well as FPV and nighttime operations with multicopters.
Brovdi considers the fifth element to be the development of Deep Strike and Middle Strike capabilities, which will allow the military not only to defend itself but also to launch retaliatory strikes deep into enemy territory.
He made this statement in an interview with Irish journalist Kaylan Robertson.
Earlier, Madyar reported that thousands of vehicles had been destroyed on the R-280 highway.
Russian forces launched a missile strike on a civilian vessel flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau. As a result of the attack, five crew members were killed, eight others were evacuated, and the fate of five remains unknown.
In the Black Sea, Russia attacked a foreign merchant ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. One person was killed, and three others were wounded.
