Major Robert Brovdi, known as Madyar, Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, advises the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) to create a three-to-five-kilometer-wide 'death zone' clear of all vegetation and obstacles along their borders with Russia (and Belarus for Lithuania) to ensure no hiding place for enemy drones. He recommends laying an underground fiber-optic cable network along these borders to enable comprehensive drone surveillance, interconnected across Baltic states, enabling remote drone operations from safe locations such as Riga, Vilnius, or London. He stresses the importance of dense, short-range tactical air defense systems capable of detecting enemy reconnaissance and attack drones from 15–30 km to intercept them early, while leaving expensive radar systems deeper in the rear to avoid early destruction. Madyar proposes creating at least one specialized drone brigade per Baltic state, consisting of about 300 drone crews operating various drone types at different operational depths, modeled on the Ukrainian 'borscht recipe' for combined drone force effectiveness. He emphasizes the need for medium- and long-range strike drone crews (30–50 for each brigade) to attack enemy logistics and military targets at operational and strategic depths to disrupt their plans. Madyar believes these defense measures can be rapidly implemented within 2026 at a cost of a few million euros, contingent on political will and resolution of land access issues. He criticizes current Baltic defense plans relying on traditional kinetic fortifications like anti-tank ditches and bunkers as outdated, urging adoption of drone-centric defensive infrastructure and tactics proven effective in Ukraine. He also criticizes NATO for inadequate responses to Russian provocations such as airspace incursions and reconnaissance missions, urging more assertive defensive actions including shooting down intruding drones, missiles, aircraft, and warships instead of mere diplomatic protests. Madyar warns that Russia will soon be capable of launching thousands of Shahed-type drones simultaneously, presenting significant future threat. His recommendations aim to build a multi-layered, drone-enabled defense posture to prevent any Russian ground offensive from entering Baltic territory. The article was published by Postimees on 13 August 2026, authored by Jaanus Piirsalu and photojournalist Martin Pedaja.

Major Robert Brovdi, known as Madyar, Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, advises the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) to create a three-to-five-kilometer-wide 'death zone' clear of all vegetation and obstacles along their borders with Russia (and Belarus for Lithuania) to ensure no hiding place for enemy drones. He recommends laying an underground fiber-optic cable network along these borders to enable comprehensive drone surveillance, interconnected across Baltic states, enabling remote drone operations from safe locations such as Riga, Vilnius, or London. He stresses the importance of dense, short-range tactical air defense systems capable of detecting enemy reconnaissance and attack drones from 15–30 km to intercept them early, while leaving expensive radar systems deeper in the rear to avoid early destruction. Madyar proposes creating at least one specialized drone brigade per Baltic state, consisting of about 300 drone crews operating various drone types at different operational depths, modeled on the Ukrainian 'borscht recipe' for combined drone force effectiveness. He emphasizes the need for medium- and long-range strike drone crews (30–50 for each brigade) to attack enemy logistics and military targets at operational and strategic depths to disrupt their plans. Madyar believes these defense measures can be rapidly implemented within 2026 at a cost of a few million euros, contingent on political will and resolution of land access issues. He criticizes current Baltic defense plans relying on traditional kinetic fortifications like anti-tank ditches and bunkers as outdated, urging adoption of drone-centric defensive infrastructure and tactics proven effective in Ukraine. He also criticizes NATO for inadequate responses to Russian provocations such as airspace incursions and reconnaissance missions, urging more assertive defensive actions including shooting down intruding drones, missiles, aircraft, and warships instead of mere diplomatic protests. Madyar warns that Russia will soon be capable of launching thousands of Shahed-type drones simultaneously, presenting significant future threat. His recommendations aim to build a multi-layered, drone-enabled defense posture to prevent any Russian ground offensive from entering Baltic territory. The article was published by Postimees on 13 August 2026, authored by Jaanus Piirsalu and photojournalist Martin Pedaja.