A Ukrainian unit, "Magyar's Birds," has been creating and posting videos of kamikaze drones chasing Russian service personnel to their deaths on social media for the past year and a half. These videos, known as "yoblyks," are described by the unit as a potent propaganda weapon and a reminder of the fate awaiting Russian soldiers.
Robert Brovdi, head of Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces and founder of "Magyar’s Birds," leads the initiative. A military editor, known by the call sign Catman, compiles daily two-minute videos and longer weekly reels titled "Yoblyks of the Week," often adding music.
Catman stated that the videos are intended to demoralise Russian soldiers and highlight the cost of the conflict, aiming to show that mobilisation in Ukraine is a "one-way ticket." He acknowledged that the clips are deliberately arranged to mock the victims, sometimes showing them attempting to deflect drones or falling while running, with the final frame often a close-up of a soldier's face.
The unit claims that many Russian soldiers are unaware of the drone risks and may have been misled by their commanders, with some reportedly dying just two weeks after enlisting. Brovdi has stated he has no qualms about publishing the material, despite potential objections from some in the West.