Zelenskyy names fresh leaders for the Air Assault Forces and Unmanned Systems Forces
Fresh Take:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shook up the military's senior leadership, appointing new commanders for the Unmanned Systems Forces and Air Assault Forces on June 3. Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, a former grain trader turned military commander, now heads the Unmanned Systems Forces, while Oleh Apostol oversees the Air Assault Forces.
Zelenskyy praised the appointments, stating, "The successful experience of the best brigades must be scaled up." Previous commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Vadym Sukharevskyi, was promoted to deputy commander of Operational Command Skhid (East), where his task is modernization.
In a social media post, Sukharevskyi expressed pride in leading the Unmanned Systems Forces during its early years but differed in vision from the leadership for its future development. Ihor Skybiuk, the former commander of the Air Assault Forces, was appointed deputy chief of the General Staff.
Robert "Magyar" Brovdi boasts an intriguing background, blending business acumen with military expertise. Born in Uzhhorod (Ungvár) in 1975 and educated in enterprise economics, he built a successful business career before the conflict. He also founded the BrovdiArt Foundation promoting Ukrainian contemporary art. Brovdi joined the Territorial Defence Forces following the invasion and combated in several critical battles, including Bucha, Irpen, Borodyanka, Soledar, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka.
Brovdi's "Birds of Magyar" unit, which later morphed into the 414th separate battalion of strike unmanned aircraft systems, plays a key role in expanding specialties and training military personnel in drone warfare and radio reconnaissance. In recognition of his contributions, Brovdi received the title of Hero of Ukraine.
Oleh "Formoza" Apostol, the new Air Assault Forces commander, commands the 95th Separate Air Assault Polissia Brigade, which participated in the Kursk operation, and he served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces under General Oleksandr Syrskyi in 2024.
[Source]: Zelenskyy in a video address; presidential decrees on the website; Unmanned Systems Forces; Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov
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Fun Fact: Before his military career, Robert "Magyar" Brovdi was a successful businessman and founded the BrovdiArt Foundation promoting Ukrainian contemporary art.
Brovdi is a man of many talents, from business to art to military strategy!
- The government's recent appointments in the military, such as Robert "Magyar" Brovdi as the head of the Unmanned Systems Forces, suggest a shift in politics towards incorporating diverse backgrounds and talent in war-and-conflicts management.
- As the general news reported, Oleh "Formoza" Apostol, the new commander of the Air Assault Forces, brings his experience from the private sector, having served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to the politics of warfare and conflict resolution.
