Russia offers $20 million reward for information on Ukrainian commander 'Magyar', report says

Russia has offered a $20 million reward for information on the whereabouts of Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Unmanned Systems Forces, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

The report states that Russia is working through post-Soviet criminal networks in its effort to locate Brovdi, who is known by the callsign "Magyar" and leads Ukraine's dedicated drone warfare branch.

A high-value target

Brovdi's role commanding Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces has made him a prominent figure in Ukraine's military effort against Russia's invasion, given the growing significance of drone warfare in the conflict. The scale of the reported reward underscores the priority Russia appears to be placing on locating him.

The use of criminal networks with roots in the former Soviet Union, as described in the report, would represent an unconventional approach outside official state channels for pursuing a target of this kind.

Neither Russian nor Ukrainian officials have publicly confirmed additional details about the reported bounty beyond what was outlined in the Wall Street Journal's reporting.