Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi, known as “Madyar,” has outlined a series of measures that he believes could help the Baltic states effectively deter and stop a potential Russian offensive.
Speaking in an interview with Irish journalist Cailan Robertson, Brovdi said the first step should be the immediate creation of a 2–5-kilometer-wide buffer zone along the border with Russia.
According to him, such a zone would provide a “comfortable” operational environment for drone warfare and could make enemy movement nearly impossible if covered by a dense drone “shield.”
To achieve this, Brovdi said the terrain would also need to be prepared, including clearing certain forest areas and adapting the landscape for military operations.
The second measure he proposed is the deployment of an extensive fiber-optic communications network that could connect drone launch sites. This, he said, would allow operators to control unmanned systems remotely while remaining inside protected command centers.
The third element would be the rapid creation of a mobile air defense component focused specifically on countering various types of drones — from FPV and reconnaissance drones to loitering munitions such as Shahed-type systems.
Brovdi’s fourth recommendation is the establishment of dedicated Unmanned Systems Forces units within every brigade, with at least 300 drone crews specializing in different missions, including border patrols, deep reconnaissance, FPV operations, and nighttime strikes using multicopters.
The fifth element, he said, should be the development of “Deep Strike” and “Middle Strike” capabilities, allowing forces not only to defend their territory but also to carry out retaliatory strikes against enemy positions.
Brovdi emphasized that modern warfare increasingly depends on unmanned systems and that building a layered drone defense network could become a key factor in deterring future Russian aggression.
