Key facts
- Ukraine is using ground robotic systems to assault and capture enemy fortifications.
- Robotic systems are being used for delivery of cargo, evacuation of wounded, surveillance, and laying minefields.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that an enemy position was taken exclusively by unmanned platforms.
- Commander Mykola Zinkevych aims to replace up to 30 percent of personnel in difficult areas with technology by 2026.
- Ukraine aims to have over 200 uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) in operation by the end of the year.
Ukraine is increasingly leveraging robotic systems and automation on the land battlefield, a development that could reshape modern warfare. This comes after significant advancements in drone warfare in the air and maritime drones used against Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted a recent operation where an enemy position was captured exclusively by unmanned ground systems and drones. Mykola Zinkevych, commander of the Third Assault Brigade’s ground robotic systems unit, described the operation in the Kharkiv region where two ground kamikaze robots and drones were used to initiate the assault. One robot destroyed the entrance to a fortified Russian position, prompting a surrender signaled by a cardboard sign. Aerial drones then escorted two Russian soldiers to Ukrainian positions, leading to their capture. Zinkevych stated that his unit's goal for 2026 is to replace up to 30 percent of personnel in the most difficult areas of the front with technology.
The robots are being utilized for a wide range of tasks, including delivering important cargo, evacuating the wounded, conducting surveillance, destroying enemy fortifications, sabotage operations, and laying minefields. This is particularly crucial for Ukraine, which faces challenges in recruiting sufficient soldiers to counter Russia's high-casualty infantry assaults and aims to keep its own casualties low.
Ukraine has become a testing ground for military technology since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The country aims to have more than 200 uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) in operation by the end of this year, gathering data to shape the development of future autonomous systems. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has noted Ukraine's efforts to use technological innovations to offset manpower limitations compared to Russia's willingness to accept high casualty rates.