Maj. Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, says recent Crimea strikes are the opening phase of a campaign to deny the peninsula as a Russian staging area. He told the AP his units have about 14% of needed equipment and could hit roughly seven times more targets if Western funding arrived faster. Ukraine says it has destroyed more than 300 air-defense assets to open a window for drone attacks, while Russia steps up jamming, satellite projects and missile capabilities.
Ukraine Drone Commander: Faster Western Funding Could Multiply Crimea Strikes Sevenfold
Maj. Robert "Magyar" Brovdi stands in the control room during a long-range unmanned aerial vehicle operation targeting Russian positions in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)(AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
Maj. Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, head of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, says recent strikes on Crimea are only the opening phase of a campaign to render the Russian-occupied peninsula unusable as a staging ground for Moscow's forces. In an interview with The Associated Press, Brovdi said his units could strike roughly seven times more military targets if pledged Western funds and financing arrived more quickly.
Ukrainian servicemen prepare a "Chaklun" strike drone used for deep-strike operations against Russian positions in Crimea, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)(AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
Campaign Goals and Current Impact
Ukraine's summer operations have targeted rail bridges, oil depots and power infrastructure to disrupt Russian supply lines and degrade air defenses so drones can enter the peninsula. Brovdi said his forces are operating with roughly 14% of the equipment they would need to conduct the full Crimea campaign at scale.
Maj. Robert "Magyar" Brovdi speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)(AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
How The Drone Campaign Works
Where Starlink connectivity is available, Brovdi said his teams can neutralize even well-defended targets with an average of about three drones per strike, mixing munitions and warheads depending on the objective. He emphasized deliberate calibration of effects — using different weapons for a bridge pier, a fuel truck or a moving train — and said his forces seek to avoid civilian infrastructure.
A Ukrainian serviceman prepares a "Chaklun" strike drone used for deep-strike operations against Russian positions in Crimea, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)(AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
Opening The ‘Window’
To create an operational "window" that lets drones penetrate Crimea without being shot down en masse, Brovdi said Ukrainian forces have destroyed more than 300 air-defense assets in recent months, including surface-to-air missile systems, radar sites and electronic-warfare equipment. He credited that campaign with reducing the number of missiles launched from Crimea in several recent barrages, a claim the AP could not independently verify.
A Ukrainian "Chaklun" long-range strike drone takes off from a mobile launcher during an operational launch targeting Russian military installations in Crimea, from an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)(AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
Funding, Production And Logistics
Brovdi said production capacity among Ukrainian manufacturers is sufficient, but that the limiting factor is untimely financing from partners. "Our partners do allocate funds, but the money moves much slower than our plans," he said, arguing that faster disbursement would allow a much larger tempo of operations.
Russian Countermeasures And Broader Threats
Russia is deploying jamming systems expected to degrade Starlink connectivity and is reportedly building an alternative satellite communications network — a development Brovdi called "a risk for the entire planet." He also warned that concentrations of jet-powered Shahed drones have risen about 2.5 times recently, and that Russia can currently launch roughly 77 ballistic missiles in a single salvo with plans to expand to about 200. Ukraine's shortage of Patriot interceptors — the only system it has that can counter ballistic missiles — increases vulnerability to mass barrages.
Targeting Logistics And Public Pressure
Brovdi named Wildberries, Russia's largest e-commerce platform, as a target because it serves as a logistics and supply channel for military goods. He described strikes on such targets as a way to directly affect ordinary Russians' daily life and to increase pressure on Moscow's ability to sustain the war effort.
"Creating conditions that make it impossible for any kind of military capability … to remain there will make Crimea uninteresting ... as a military staging ground," Brovdi said.
Conditions And Caveats
Many of Brovdi's operational claims — including the precise numbers of destroyed systems or orders to relocate Russian personnel and archives — could not be independently verified by the AP and should be read as commanders' assessments rather than independently confirmed facts.
AP reporters Vasilisa Stepanenko in eastern Ukraine and Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv contributed to reporting.
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