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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Strikes on Crimea are only the first phase of a campaign whose goal is to make the peninsula unusable by Russian forces as a launching ground. This was stated by Robert “Madjar” Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, to the Associated Press.
THE MAIN POINT FROM THE INTERVIEW:
SBS are armed only at 14% of what is needed for the Crimean campaign.
With full funding, it would be possible to strike many more targets.
Russia is capable of a simultaneous volley of 77 ballistic missiles and plans to increase this figure to 200.
Crimea as the key to ending the war
“Madjar” called Crimea one of the key conceptual elements on the path to ending the war. The campaign’s goal is to create conditions under which the presence of any military capabilities on the peninsula becomes impossible. Then Crimea would lose its meaning as a military launching pad. The main problem, according to Brovdi, is not the production capacity of Ukrainian drone manufacturers, but untimely financing. Partners allocate funds, but progress moves much slower than planned. In his assessment, units are equipped at only 14% of what is needed to conduct the Crimean campaign at full strength. With adequate provisioning, the number of struck military targets in Crimea could be multiplied by three.
More than 300 destroyed air defense assets.
To open a “window” for drones to pass with minimal losses, Ukrainian forces have destroyed over 300 Russian air defense assets—anti-aircraft systems, radar stations, and electronic warfare complexes. As a sign of the result, Brovdi cited statistics: during the four most recent mass missile strikes, not a lot of missiles were fired from the peninsula. AP was unable to independently verify these data. A large portion of Russian air defense equipment of Soviet vintage runs on power grids—that is one reason why Crimea’s energy infrastructure has become a frequent target. Without power, Russian forces become “blind,” according to the commander.
Brovdi admitted that the tactic also hits civilians: in his words, he publicly apologized twice to Ukrainians living in Crimea for power outages.
In Crimea, orders to remove archives and paintings.
Where there is Starlink connectivity in Crimea, units are capable of destroying even the most well-protected target on average with three drones, combining munitions with different characteristics and warheads depending on the object.
The strikes, as described by the commander, are deliberately calibrated: for supporting a bridge they use something different from what they would use for a fuel tanker or a moving train. He said units avoid strikes on civilian infrastructure. Early results of the campaign, which began in late June, were not publicly disclosed. However, according to Brovdi, about two weeks after the start, Ukrainian intelligence learned that Russian authorities ordered all military commands and security services to redeploy from the peninsula. Parallel to that, according to his data, a discreet order was issued to remove secret archives and works of art. AP could not independently verify this information.
New threats: jamming Starlink and a Russian analogue.
Russia is working to neutralize Ukraine’s advantage. Brovdi says it is installing jamming systems at scales that will somewhat degrade Starlink’s operation. In addition, the Russian Federation is building its own satellite communications system as a competitor to Starlink. The commander called this a planetary-scale risk, since the dictatorship would gain access to information worldwide.
77 ballistic missiles in one volley.
The concentration of rocket-assisted aerial drones, which are much harder to shoot down, has grown two and a half times in recent weeks.
Russia is currently capable of issuing a simultaneous volley of 77 ballistic missiles and plans to raise this figure to 200. Brovdi called this one of Ukraine’s most vulnerable points: the country lacks interceptors for American Patriot—the only system in Ukraine’s arsenal capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. He said that even if the Russians manage to implement half of what they planned, all of this would head toward Ukraine. The only way to reduce this number is to strike every object involved in producing such missiles. This is precisely why the commander stresses the importance of long-range strikes deep inside Russia.
Why strike Wildberries
Ukraine is increasingly attacking Wildberries—the largest Russian online marketplace, sometimes called Russia’s answer to Amazon. Brovdi directly named it a target. He says it is primarily a supply platform—the “war quartermaster.” The commander noted that the company has a separate section selling goods for the Russian military. At the same time, strikes should make ordinary Russians feel the war directly. Brovdi hopes that the desire to end it will affect Russia’s ability to continue fighting. He did not name a timeline for the campaign against the marketplace, merely saying the strikes will continue until the platform’s rapid restoration becomes impossible.
The commander compared the marketplace to a consumer dependency: losing access to it, like restricting social networks, intrudes into Russians’ private lives. He said Wildberries proved to be a sensitive barometer of the comfort of that portion of Russian society that considers itself not involved in the aggressor country’s actions.
FAQ
How many air defense assets have been destroyed in Crimea? According to Brovdi, more than 300 in recent months—the air defense systems, radar stations, and EW complexes. This was done to open a path for drones.
Why is Ukraine attacking Wildberries? Brovdi calls the marketplace a supply platform and “war quartermaster,” noting that the company has a separate section of goods for the Russian military. The second aim is to make ordinary Russians feel the war directly.
How many ballistic missiles can Russia launch at once? According to the commander, currently 77 in one volley, with plans to raise the figure to 200.
Cover photo from the Facebook page “MADJAR”
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Росія може вийти на 200 ракет за обстріл: Мадяр в новому важливому інтерв’ю". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Zaraz.
