Ukraine's 414th aviation strike brigade, known as 'Magyar's Birds,' is using drone footage of Russian soldiers' deaths, termed 'yoblyks,' as a propaganda tool to demoralize Russians and boost Ukrainian morale. The videos are compiled with music and often mock the victims.
These 'yoblyk' videos represent a controversial but effective psychological warfare tactic, aiming to demoralize Russian forces and their domestic audience while bolstering Ukrainian morale. They highlight the brutal realities of modern warfare and the use of media as a weapon.
Ukraine's 414th aviation strike brigade, known as 'Magyar's Birds,' has pioneered the use of battlefield drone footage, creating a genre of videos documenting the final moments of Russian soldiers. These clips, termed 'yoblyks,' are compiled by an editor known as Catman, who selects footage, adds music, and deliberately arranges the scenes to mock the victims.
Robert Brovdi, the head of Ukraine's unmanned systems forces and founder of 'Magyar's Birds,' defends the practice, stating that the videos serve as a potent propaganda weapon. He aims to show Russians that mobilization in Ukraine leads to death and to boost the morale of Ukrainian forces by depicting the enemy as helpless. Catman echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that "laughter kills fear" and that it is impossible to feel sorry for the enemy in wartime.
The videos typically show Russian soldiers walking or traveling by motorbike to the front lines, often unaware of the drone threat. Many are reportedly killed shortly after enlisting, with some described as "banal donkey men" ordered to carry provisions or drag cables. The brigade claims to have an archive of approximately 3,600 videos, with only two featuring women.
Brovdi acknowledges that the material may be seen as distasteful in the West but argues that Ukrainians who have experienced war would not share that perspective. He uses language to humiliate the enemy, referring to Russians as "worms" pecked by "birds." The 'yoblyks' have garnered a wide audience, including within Russia, where they are reportedly used by families to seek information about missing loved ones.
Anatolii Loza, a Ukrainian volunteer recently released from Russian captivity, stated that international law does not apply to killing combatants on the battlefield, and that Russians deserve their fate. His wife, Olena, noted that attitudes in Ukraine hardened after atrocities in Bucha and Mariupol, finding the 'yoblyks' uninformative but understandable given her fury towards Russia. Catman also highlighted the importance of black humor in wartime for Ukrainian morale.