Ukraine Drone Commander Robert Brovdi Targets Russian Oil, Troop Casualties, Morale
Ukraine is escalating deep strikes against Russian oil export facilities, with Commander Robert Brovdi, head of all Ukraine's unmanned systems, asserting that these attacks will increase. Brovdi also claims his drone forces are hindering Russia's advance on the frontline by inflicting a high number of soldier casualties.
“1,500 to 2,000km inside Russian territory is no longer the 'peaceful rear',” Brovdi warned. “The freedom-loving Ukrainian 'bird' flies there whenever and wherever it wants.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky has described these deep strikes as “very painful” for Moscow, attributing “critical” losses of tens of billions of dollars to Russia's energy sector, despite recent global oil price surges. The increased frequency of attacks is attributed to cheaper, longer-range domestically produced drones, with some models now capable of travelling over 1,000km, and others twice that distance.
Brovdi justifies targeting Russia's energy exports, stating, “Putin extracts natural resources and converts them into blood dollars that they then direct against us in the form of Shahed drones and ballistic missiles.” Following a second wave of major strikes on the Tuapse refinery, residents reportedly complained of toxic rain. Brovdi maintained that if oil refineries generate funds for war, they are legitimate military targets.
Working from a clandestine underground command centre, Brovdi oversees forces that, despite comprising only 2% of Ukraine's military, are responsible for a third of all targets destroyed. He reports their casualty rate at less than 1% annually. Recent strikes, according to Brovdi, include a dozen Russian FSB security service officers in occupied territory and multiple energy facilities within Russia.
Brovdi, a former grain dealer and art collector, joined the fight before Russia’s full-scale invasion, recognising the tactical advantage of drones. He asserts that his forces are crucial in preventing any significant Russian victories, particularly the ambition to seize the remainder of the eastern Donbas region.
A critical component of Brovdi's strategy involves reducing Russia's manpower advantage. With Ukraine facing mobilisation challenges, his crews are ordered to kill more enemy soldiers each month than Russia can recruit, a figure exceeding 30,000. Brovdi stated, “30% of all drone strikes have to be against military personnel. You can call it a kill plan, yes, and right now we are exceeding it.” He claims this target has been met for four consecutive months, with each soldier's death verified by video footage.
Beyond military and infrastructure targets, Brovdi aims to erode Russian morale, hoping a high casualty rate combined with infrastructure damage deep within Russia will foster discontent. He cites a video of a Russian woman lamenting drone destruction in Tuapse as evidence of the conflict's impact spreading beyond its immediate circles, seeking to prompt more Russians to question the war and its instigator.