The Unknown AutoMaidan. Episode 5: Drones Against Politicians - An Invention of Automaydan. Navalny Copies Automaydan. Zozulya Yuriy.
Drones Against Politicians - An Invention of Automaydan.
Navalny Copies Automaydan.
Episode 5
January 5, 2014
Strangely enough, the Russian opposition, represented by Alexei Navalny, who is the most likely competitor to Putin in the Russian presidential elections, has adopted some of the best ideas and methods used by Automaydan during the Revolution of Dignity in 2013-2014.
The most high-profile investigation against the Russian government, targeting Dmitry Medvedev and exposing corruption at the highest levels, is largely built upon drone footage of properties. The video "He’s Not Dimon to You" draws heavily from the use of drones, mirroring Automaydan’s innovative approach.
Automaydan was the first to use cutting-edge technology to expose corruption on January 5, 2014. It was on this day that the high walls of a property could no longer hide the ill-gotten gains behind them.
This breakthrough occurred during a picket organized by Automaydan and other activists at the estate of then-Minister of Internal Affairs, Vitaliy Zakharchenko, near Kyiv. It was then that the idea emerged to use aerial footage to see what lay beyond the high fence and reveal it to the public, particularly to the police who were protecting the corrupt regime. Just the day before, one of the first drones with a camera had been purchased, albeit for different purposes.
The legendary drone was acquired by the Ukrainian Wakeboarding Federation (UFW) to capture aerial shots of wakeboarders during competitions, providing stunning video panoramas and objective judging. This unique piece of equipment was brought by our acquaintance, Taras Troiak, known by his pseudonym Ognis. These were among the first drones to appear in Ukraine, and he hoped they would become widely popular, boosting his business and sales in Ukraine, especially since he had become a distributor for DJI, now used extensively in the war against Russian invaders.
Interestingly, the initial training flights of these drones took place at XPARK, an extreme sports park run by wakeboarders. There is unique video footage of the first drone flights and their demonstration to Vitali and Volodymyr Klitschko in December 2013, during the Revolution of Dignity. At that time, we had no idea how this seemingly simple and inexpensive gadget would come to play a pivotal role in changing the political landscape in Ukraine. It was then that we first considered using the drone’s capabilities for the revolution.
The drone became the second technological innovation utilized by Automaydan during the Revolution of Dignity. The first was the "music mobile"—a converted pickup truck outfitted with a 15kW sound system and a rooftop podium, originally intended for festivals and sporting events organized by the Wakeboarding Federation. During the revolution and the subsequent post-revolutionary protests, it served as the primary mobile sound stage for the resistance.
In January 2014, at the height of the confrontation, I proposed the idea of capturing aerial footage of the Interior Minister Zakharchenko’s house to Oleksiy Hrytsenko, who supported the idea. However, since no one at that time knew how to operate drones, and Taras Troiak was apolitical, I had to take charge of the operation. Dressed in a black hoodie, I arrived with a column of Automaydan supporters and the drone at Zakharchenko’s residence. The sight of the illuminated drone startled some of the protesters near the gate.
We quickly had to inform Yavorivskyi, who was in the music mobile, to calm the protesters and explain that the drone was being operated by our activists. Yavorivskyi managed to reassure the crowd. Meanwhile, we were surrounded by police, Berkut units, and plainclothes officers. Fortunately, the drone drew most of the attention, and many of the police were confused about its origin and purpose—whether it was a police device or one operated by activists. Amidst this confusion, we managed to get the drone above Zakharchenko’s estate and capture the historic footage that later circulated in all media outlets.
Eventually, plainclothes officers approached from behind and began questioning me about what I was doing. I said I was just playing around and moved into the crowd of protesting activists. By that time, the filming was complete, and the drone had landed. I quickly retrieved the memory card and discreetly made my way into one of the cars. I left the drone and the controller among the crowd to divert attention.
Within a few hours, Oleksiy Hrytsenko and I were already editing the video and setting up a YouTube channel to upload the first footage of a corrupt official captured by the drone. The video, once it was online, had an explosive impact, quickly amassing around 200,000 views in just two days. Drones instantly became enemies of Yanukovych's criminal regime and were banned under the dictator's laws, alongside restrictions like limiting the number of cars in a convoy and other oppressive measures.
A $500 toy had managed to stir up the thieves who had plundered the country for billions of dollars. Naturally, Taras Troiak was dismayed to learn that drones were banned, regretting having sold it to me, thinking that his drone business in Ukraine might be over. But fortunately, the Revolution of Dignity triumphed, and the dictator's laws were repealed.
Now, Taras has become the leading supplier of drones in Ukraine, and we often reminisce about how it all began. Serhiy Koba personally filmed a series of panoramic videos of officials' estates, from hidden mansions in Europe to lavish palaces in Ukraine. All the embezzlers caught on the Automaydan drone's camera lost their positions. Drones became a formidable force.
In the following years, drone footage became a core trend for Automaydan, widely used for exposing corrupt officials, judges, politicians, and bureaucrats.
If a miracle happens and we manage to overthrow the criminal regime of Putin, Medvedev, and their entourage, the use of drones for exposing corruption and misconduct could become a landmark moment in history. It would mark another significant point where the ingenuity and creativity of the Euromaidan activists, who first used drones in political struggles, help change the course of entire nations. New technologies are altering the fate of peoples, toppling dictatorial regimes.
Euromaidan is considered a pioneer in using drones for combating criminal regimes. If anyone has evidence of drone use in political battles before January 5, 2014, we would be keen to learn about it. However, to date, we have not found any evidence of earlier use of drones in the post-Soviet space.
The drone warfare and aerial reconnaissance truly began with the Euromaidan protests. This innovative approach has drawn global attention to new possibilities in fighting corruption and dictatorial regimes.
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