Russia offers $20 million for information on Ukrainian drone commander’s whereabouts, WSJ reports

WSJ journalist Jillian Kay Melchior visited a secret Ukrainian drone command center somewhere in southeastern Ukraine, where Brovdi’s forces coordinate drone operations across the battlefield.

Because Brovdi and his troops have become high-priority Russian targets, extensive security measures were required for the visit. The journalist was asked to disable location services, put her phone in airplane mode and place it in a Faraday bag blocking Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth and GPS signals. She was then transported in a vehicle with blacked-out windows to conceal the route.

The Unmanned Systems Forces told the WSJ that the Kremlin had spread word through post-Soviet criminal networks of a $20 million reward for information about Brovdi’s location.

Russian courts have also convicted Brovdi in absentia on terrorism charges related to Ukrainian military operations and sentenced him to decades in prison.

Brovdi told the WSJ that the Unmanned Systems Forces account for only 2.5% of Ukraine’s military personnel but were responsible for approximately one-third of Russian casualties over the past year.

According to Brovdi, 79 members of Magyar’s Birds have been killed since the beginning of the war. Their names are inscribed on a wall at the entrance to the unit’s command center.

Brovdi said the Unmanned Systems Forces had killed or wounded 656 Russian troops for every member of Magyar’s Birds killed.

“I don’t think this exchange rate is good enough,” he told the WSJ.