5.07.2026

Service in the unit is governed by strict rules.

The Ukrainian “Kairos” unmanned systems battalion, part of the 414th “Ptaki Madyara” Brigade, carries out a number of special missions. These involve strikes deep behind Russian lines, including Moscow.

Service in the unit is governed by strict rules: soldiers are prohibited from drinking alcohol, and they cannot even tell their loved ones exactly where they are serving. In addition, soldiers undergo regular polygraph tests to ensure they maintain secrecy, according to The Times.

The battalion also includes foreigners—former special forces soldiers from the United Kingdom, the United States, other European countries, and Japan. The commander, whose call sign is “Ray,” said that the unit is one of the priority targets for Russian retaliatory strikes.

The commander explained the unit’s overall objective: to make the war so costly for the Kremlin that it is forced to seek peace. He added that the drones strike all targets equally—whether it’s an oil refinery or the Kremlin.

Over the past two weeks, the battalion has carried out a series of strikes deep into Russia, specifically targeting Moscow and St. Petersburg. The commander of the “Panama” company noted that until recently, Russia had expected to capture Ukraine in a matter of days, but is now feeling the consequences of the war itself, calling this a just retribution.

According to “Ray,” the battalion has been in existence for about 200 days and has struck a significant number of targets during that time. He said this presents the Russian command with a choice—to redeploy air defense forces to Moscow or leave other strategic areas, including occupied Crimea, unprotected.

Both commanders joined the defense from the first day of the full-scale invasion and later served in special operations forces. After one of the most recent launches, five out of eight drones hit their targets, and the next day, Russian sources reported an attack on the space communications center in Dubna, near Moscow.

One of the brigade’s officers noted that for the military, these operations are a matter of personal motivation. In this way, they are trying to take revenge on the enemy for what it has done to Ukraine and their fellow servicemen.

“This is revenge not only for the terror that has befallen our families. It is revenge for our comrades, who were peaceful people with their own dreams but who were killed. And it is revenge for the years that the war has taken away from us, our children, and our families,” he said.

https://charter97.org/en/news/2026/7/5/690061