This man is destroying Putin's empire

Since Ukraine began its operation to isolate occupied Crimea, I have been desperate to understand what is really happening on the peninsula.

Independent journalists cannot report anywhere near Crimea. The information coming out is fragmented, heavily controlled and buried beneath propaganda.

So I went to the closest possible source: the man directing the operation.

His name is Robert Brovdi, callsign Madyar. He's the Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces and one of the central figures behind the campaign targeting Russia’s fuel, logistics, air defences and military infrastructure in occupied Crimea.

This is an unprecedented, in-depth interview about far more than one operation.

Brovdi explains what Ukraine is trying to achieve in Crimea, why he believes the occupation can be made unsustainable without a ground assault, and how Ukraine’s increasingly deep strikes inside Russia could shape the outcome of this war far beyond the front line.

He also tells the extraordinary personal story behind it all: how a grain trader became a soldier, how a group of just 27 people began experimenting with civilian drones, and how that improvised effort grew into an entirely new branch of the Ukrainian military.

In this interview, we discuss:

* The operation to isolate occupied Crimea

* Strikes against Russian fuel, shipping and logistics

* How Ukraine penetrated Russia’s air-defence network

* The rise of long-range Ukrainian drone warfare

* Why Brovdi believes NATO is running out of time

* How civilian drones transformed the battlefield

* His journey from businessman to military commander

* The family life, art and future he has placed on hold

* What he believes comes next for Ukraine and Russia

I am so incredibly proud to bring you this interview as an independent journalist.

This film was produced without government funding or political sponsorship. Work like this is possible because people watch, share and directly support my reports.

Thank you sincerely for giving me your time and for continuing to watch my reporting from Ukraine.

To support my work and help fund future investigations and frontline documentaries, please follow the links below.

Thank you for watching.

Caolan