The commander of the 414th Brigade, Robert Brovdy («Magyar»), led the Unmanned Systems Forces.
The commander of the 414th Brigade, Robert Brovdy («Magyar»), led the Unmanned Systems Forces.
The corresponding decree was published on June 3 on the president’s website.
Previously, the Unmanned Systems Forces were headed by Vadym Sukharevskiy. He was the only head of this type of force, which was created only last year.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov explained Brovda’s appointment.
«His experience with one of the best brigades should be scaled up to the entire command,» he said. According to Umerov, the current changes have one goal — «to strengthen our guys at the front, to provide them with everything they need to fight effectively.»
Madyar is the founder and commander of the «Birds of Madyar» unit (now the 414th separate brigade of strike unmanned aerial systems in the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine). In May of this year, he received the title of Hero of Ukraine. Before the full-scale Russian invasion, he was an entrepreneur.
On February 7, 2022, he joined the Obolon Land Defense Battalion and led a platoon of the second assault company of the 206th battalion, which was subordinate to the 28th separate mechanized brigade.
Robert Brovdy was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine this year. According to Espresso, at the beginning of the full-scale war, he led a rifle platoon of the 2nd assault company of the 206th battalion of the 28th separate mechanized brigade.
In May-June 2022, he founded his own aerial reconnaissance unit «Birds of the Magyar». Later, it was scaled up to a company-tactical group as part of the 59th brigade, and it to a battalion, regiment and separate brigade. They participated in battles for the settlements of Bakhmut, Soledar, Blagodatne and others. In the spring of 2023, as the commander of a company of strike unmanned aviation complexes (RUBAK) of the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, he participated in battles in Pervomayske, Avdiivka, Staromykhailivka and Maryinka in the Donetsk direction.
The soldiers of the «Birds of the Magyar» participate in battles in the most difficult directions and apply innovative approaches in conducting operations.
On January 16, 2024, the «Birds of the Magyar» became a separate battalion, with Robert Brovdy as its commander. Since January 2024, the «Birds of the Magyar» unit has been operating in the Kharkiv direction.
Before his military career, he worked in the agricultural sector and led a number of business projects, including «Market-BK» (real estate transactions), «Empire Food» (food trade), and «Scotch & Soda Ukraine» (clothing trade).
He also worked as the General Director of the Agrarian Exchange of Ukraine, was the General Director of the Khlib Investbud company, and held the position of Deputy Head of the Department of the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine (SFGCU).
«At this stage, our visions for the further development of SBS differ from the leadership,» Sukharevskiy explains his dismissal.
He considers completing his term as commander of the SBS to be «an honest and professional decision in this situation.»
There was no specific trigger for the resignation, but Sukharevskiy had accumulated misunderstandings with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky, explains Forbes’ source, who is informed about the circumstances of the resignation. «Unfortunately, the generational conflict has reached a dead end,» he adds.
Umerov reported that Sukharevskiy will now be the deputy commander of the operational command «East», and his task is to modernize this command and introduce «new changes and approaches.»
Sukharevskiy, commenting on his dismissal from the post of head of the SBS, said that his and the leadership’s visions regarding the further development of these forces had diverged.
«I am proud to have had the honor of leading the SBS in the first, most difficult year of its formation. This year, although incomplete, was spent with benefit. We formed and immediately consolidated in practice the principles on which this unique branch of forces functions in the world. The SBS portfolio includes its own innovative developments, unique and successful combat operations, and a new model of responsible recruiting. At the same time, at this stage, our visions for the further development of the SBS differ from the leadership. I consider it an honest and professional decision in this situation to complete my term as commander of the SBS. I leave my position with deep faith in everyone who continues to carry this idea forward,» the SBS page says on behalf of Sukharevsky.
