On 7 February 2022, Robert Brovdi enlisted in the Obolon Territorial Defence — before the full-scale invasion began. This decision was made against the backdrop of escalating threats of Russian aggression.
On 24 February 206, from the first day of the full-scale invasion, Brovdi served in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of the 206th Territorial Defence Battalion. He assumed the position of platoon commander of the second assault company of the 206 TDF Bn, subordinated to the 28th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
For the 46-year-old businessman with no prior military experience, this was a radical transition to a new reality. However, the managerial skills acquired in business proved valuable in a military context.
As part of the 206 TDF Bn, Robert Brovdi participated in combat operations for the liberation of Kyiv. This was a critical period of the war, when Russian forces attempted to rapidly capture Ukraine's capital.
Combat missions:
The defence of Kyiv became a decisive moment in the initial period of the war. Ukrainian forces compelled Russian troops to retreat in early April 2022, marking the aggressor's first major strategic defeat.
In early April 2022, the rifle platoon of the 2nd assault company of the 206th TDF Battalion under Brovdi's command was deployed to the front line in the Kherson direction, subordinated to the 28th Mechanized Brigade.
The 1st platoon of the 2nd company of the 206 TDF Bn began focusing on the unmanned component. It was then that reconnaissance of the line of contact using drones began — the first steps toward forming the future "Madyar's Birds" unit.
In May–June 2022, Robert Brovdi created a separate aerial reconnaissance unit of 26 personnel, which he named "Madyar's Birds" (Птахи Мадяра). This moment became pivotal in his career and in the development of Ukrainian drone warfare.
Brovdi was among the first to recognize the potential of mass application of commercial drones in combat conditions. The innovation of his approach lay in the systematization and scaling of drone use.
Five functions of combat application (until November 2022):
1. Detection of enemy forces
2. Patrolling the front line
3. Correcting artillery fire
4. Operating kamikaze drones
5. "Optionally" — dropping explosive devices on the enemy
August 2022: "Madyar's Birds" assembled their first FPV drone. Experimental use of strike drones to engage enemy personnel and equipment began. A crew training group was formed, and initial training was conducted at a base near Ruska Kosa (7–10 km from the line of contact).
In November 2022, after participating in the Armed Forces of Ukraine's counteroffensive in the Kherson direction and the liberation of Kherson, Brovdi's unit, as part of a separate company tactical group (CTG), was redeployed to the Bakhmut direction.
Operational subordination: The "Madyar's Birds" unit of the 251st Territorial Defence Brigade was operationally subordinated to the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Grouping of Forces.
Aerial reconnaissance and artillery correction tasks were performed in support of:
Settlements where fighting took place (2022–2023):
Special operations:
Duration of participation: 110 days. During this period, the unit employed FPV drones to halt enemy assault actions. Tactics for coordinating ground and air groups were refined.
The Battle for Bakhmut became a trial for the "Madyar's Birds" concept. In conditions of intense urban combat, drone operations proved their effectiveness. The Bakhmut experience shaped tactical approaches that were later scaled to the level of the Unmanned Systems Forces.
In March 2023, the company tactical group (CTG) "Madyar's Birds" was reorganized into a separate Strike Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Company (RUBAK) of the 59th Motorized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This marked the beginning of official structural integration of the unit into combat formations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In early March 2023, the unit received orders to withdraw from the Bakhmut area and move to new positions.
Period: 5 March – 11 June 2023
Combat zones:
Tasks:
Period: 13 June – 1 October 2023
Robert Brovdi, as commander of the Strike UAV Company "Madyar's Birds" subordinated to the Donetsk Operational-Tactical Grouping, participated in the counteroffensive.
Tasks performed in support of:
Types of tasks:
Results (13 June – 30 September 2023, 110 days):
During this period, fighting and liberation of the settlements of Urozhaine and Staromaiorske continued. For the first time, a public report on the unit's activity results was released.
Period: 3 October 2023 – 31 July 2024
The Strike UAV Company "Madyar's Birds," operationally subordinated to the Marine Corps Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, participated in the counteroffensive on the left bank of the Dnipro. Fighting for the settlement of Krynky continued.
Results (October 2023 – January 2024):
EI/EW Project:
A radio-electronic intelligence (EI) and electronic warfare (EW) project was initiated. Over 10 months of combat operations (October 2023 – July 2024), forces of the consolidated EI and EW group "Madyar's Birds" together with the Marine Corps:
This project was intensively disseminated throughout the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Territorial Defence, State Border Guard Service, Special Operations Forces, and Security Service of Ukraine through crew training at the "Madyar's Birds" base and equipping crews with EI systems.
Remote mining:
During operations on the left bank of the Dnipro, "Madyar's Birds" remotely installed approximately 3,500 anti-tank mines manufactured by the unit's workshop "Tsukrarnia" (Sugar Factory) using drones in a sector covering 72.5 square kilometres.
On 16 January 2024, the separate Strike Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Company "Madyar's Birds" became a separate military unit: 414th Separate Strike Unmanned Aerial Systems Battalion (OBUBAS) of the Marine Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Robert Brovdi became commander of the separate battalion, and "Madyar's Birds" became the first separate unmanned aerial systems unit within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Structural core of repair, training, and support subunits was formed. Without withdrawing the battalion from the combat zone, recruitment of specialists was conducted based on the principle of competent mobilization for over 40 specialties.
Period: 28 May – 17 July 2024
The "Madyar's Birds" unit under Brovdi's command performed combat tasks in the Kharkiv direction to reinforce the Vovchansk formation and the 13th Brigade "Khartia" in the Lyptsi direction.
On 27 June 2024, the 414 OBUBAS "Madyar's Birds" was transformed into the 414th Separate Strike Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment (OPUBAS) of the Marine Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The day after announcing the creation of the Separate Regiment, Commander Brovdi announced a new stage of competent mobilization: 119 types of civilian vacancies. In the first 24 hours, over 1,000 applications were received from volunteers.
A dedicated UAV repair base, active operations company, FPV drone operator training schools, and EW and EI subunits were established. Internal R&D projects in communications, optics, artificial intelligence, and ammunition production commenced.
Start: 21 July 2024
The 414 OPUBAS "Madyar's Birds" performs combat missions in the Pokrovsk direction. "Kupol Pokrovsk" (Dome Pokrovsk) was deployed to protect the city from enemy drones.
Results (21 July 2024 – 11 April 2026):
Periods:
The 414 OPUBAS "Madyar's Birds" participated in combat operations on the territory of Kursk and Belgorod Oblasts of the Russian Federation.
From 10 November 2024, the 414 OPUBAS "Madyar's Birds" covered the front-line sector passing near the occupied city of Vuhledar, Donetsk Oblast.
On 10 December 2024, Robert Brovdi announced that the 414 OPUBAS MC AFU was transforming into the world's first unmanned systems brigade — the 414th Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems (414 ОБр БпС) "Madyar's Birds" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"We will become x3 [three times larger]. And this must be done operationally and with quality. Without withdrawing from any section of the front where the 'Madyar's Birds' Team is currently operating," Brovdi stated.
Formation of a full brigade structure with training, production, and engineering infrastructure was completed.
From 26 December 2024, the 414 ОБр БпС "Madyar's Birds" deployed "Kupol Kherson" (Dome Kherson) to protect the city from enemy drones.
On 3 June 2025, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Robert Brovdi to the position of Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF / SBS) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This appointment represented recognition of:
Less than a month before the appointment, on 8 May 2025, Brovdi was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.
On 31 March 2026, the Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces appointed: