is Ukraine's Robot Army Actually Working?

The latest news from Ukraine sounds like science fiction. For the first time in history a robot like this one, armed with a heavy .50 caliber machine gun, captured a position as well as three enemy soldiers. We call these remote controlled robots, UGVs or Unmanned Ground Vehicles. The same droid TW 12.7 also replaced infantry as it was credited with holding an entire treeline for 45 days. And that's not all because another of such ground robots ambushed a Russian armored vehicle. The armed forces of Ukraine are betting everything on these robots. Some Ukrainian commanders even claimed that 80% of infantry roles could soon be replaced by unmanned systems. My friends, we're that close from the Terminator timeline. Meanwhile other ground robots are just packed with explosives. In this video we see a UGV snuck up to a rifle team of three Russians and then detonated a couple meters away. Ah Call of Duty, you did it again. It's literally the RCXD but there's more. Hunter killer drone, the Wilson, sentry guns. It's all part of the modern battlefield. Let's just hope we won't see jetpacks anytime soon. And this is just the beginning because UGVs are still at a very early stage of development. Remember when your dad said video games are not like real war? Well now they are. Actually the skills these unmanned system units are looking for are being agile with a playstation 5 or xbox controller, sitting on a chair for 12 hours straight, being able to chug entire packs of energy drinks, and being able to detect movement in three pixels from 400 meters away. Yeah baby. But not so fast. Ground robots still face major limitations and many of their reported successes have been significantly exaggerated or just completely staged. Like this video here I just showed you. 100% fake. With that being said, ground robots are here to stay. UGVs come in many different configurations and they're now littering the battlefield. It's not a surprise that Ukraine's Ministry of Defense announced the AFU carried 9,000 ground drone missions in March alone. As you know Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of riflemen. So it hopes that the increase of UGVs will allow a reduction of soldiers on the front line by up to 30%. We're also witnessing an insane ground robots arms race between Ukraine and Russia. What I discovered is that both sides are ramping up the use of combat robots. But the most interesting is that they do so in very different ways. Shaped by completely different military doctrines. More on that in a moment. Right now in Ukraine is the 3rd Army Corps and more specifically the 3rd Assault Brigade that has become the true leader in the use of ground-based robotic systems. They claim that 80% of their logistics needs are done using UGVs. Many other units under the umbrella of the 3rd Army Corps are also in the process of creating self-standing unmanned ground vehicle companies. Actually let's take a closer look at the order of battle of the 3rd Army Corps. For example in Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps you have your regular mechanized infantry brigades. There's also reconnaissance. At the rear you have an artillery brigade, a drone regiment, an electronic warfare company, anti-tank and anti-aircraft formations. And then there is an entire set of support units like the communications battalion, repair and maintenance battalions and of course a medical battalion. It's all controlled via a centralized command. Now think of today's sponsor Odoo as the headquarters. The central command structure that keeps everything organized for your business. Odoo is an all-in-one business management software that helps you streamline your business's workflow. Odoo can handle your accounting, inventory and sales all in one place. That way you don't need to use all these apps. And the first app you use is free for life. And of course you will also need a website for your business. In just a few clicks with Odoo's website builder you can create a sleek professional website. Just drag and drop the features you want. No coding skills required. Plus it comes with a custom domain name for the first year. Click the link in the description below and try Odoo for free for 14 days. And thank you so much to Odoo for sponsoring this video. Starting in 2024, Ukraine's shortage of manpower worsened as it faced an unprecedented attrition rate. By 2025 the situation became critical. In August, Radio Free Europe wrote, With exertions, low recruitment, Ukraine's infantry crisis deepens. Meanwhile, the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies reported, Ukrainian frontline units often operate at as low as 30% of their intended strength. Many brigades complained about running out of infantry and becoming unable to man defensive lines adequately. There were only two solutions for the armed forces of Ukraine. Number one, mobilize even more. But there was barely anyone left to mobilize. In turn, for option two, Ukraine had no other choice but to innovate and turn to technology. You already know about FPV drones and their devastating impact on the battlefield. But they also have weaknesses. FPV strike drones and bomber quadcopters carry a limited payload. They can't do much against buildings or reinforced structures. Additionally, they have little autonomy. They cannot operate in bad weather. And they cannot hold the ground like a building or a trench line. That's how Ukrainian units resorted to In English, a direct translation would be Ground Robotic Complex. But we'll use the standard term UGV for Unmanned Ground Vehicle. Now, you might have not noticed it, but ground robots have been used for a while on the battlefield of Ukraine. Some units, like the 47th Mechanized Brigade, already tested the Malyuk ground robot in February 2024 to deliver munitions to frontline positions. Disclaimer, the footage we just saw was on training grounds, but the idea was maturing. A couple months later, in August 2024, Ukrainian engineers tested a tracked unmanned ground vehicle to transport logs to fortified trenches on the contact line. However, it's only in early December 2024 that reports mentioned how the 13th Khartya Brigade conducted its first fully robotic operation. Colonel Maxim Golubok, the chief of staff of the brigade, explained that their goal is to wherever possible with a robotic or unmanned system. The operation involved multiple aerial drones, like bombers, recon drones, and strike FPVs. But the novelty was the deployment of numerous ground robotic systems. Some for mining and demining, kamikaze drones, and even UGVs armed with machine guns. Right there, you saw the entire panoply of ground robots that were about to rise. This real-life experiment became the blueprint for unmanned ground vehicles and many other Ukrainian formations. A couple weeks after Khartya's operation in February 2025, the 3rd Assault Brigade launched its own test drive of unmanned ground vehicles, like the Termite, and the ZMA-500 for logistics. The operators tested everything from the chassis, to the stability of cargo in the field, to communication systems. It's a bit like these delivery carts you can see in some major cities. And why don't we see more of them? I promised myself I wouldn't get political in this video. Ukrainian engineers were quick to realize that you could reuse the same chassis and just add a remote-controlled machine gun to it. That's where the droid TW 12.7 comes in. It's a Ukrainian unmanned ground combat vehicle equipped with a 50 cal M2 Browning heavy machine gun. The platform can reach the speed of 7 km per hour and has an operational range of 25 km. There's also the droid TW 762 variant armed with a Soviet PKT machine gun. In the introduction, I told you how the 3rd Assault Brigade was proud to announce that in December, one of its remote-controlled droid TW 12.7 held an entire treeline for 45 days straight. Essentially, they used it like a weaponized Wall-E. Some might even say they got their inspiration from the Wilson from Call of Duty. Okay, so here's the droid TW 12.7. The first thought I had was, how do you reload? You can't! That means unmanned systems units constantly have to rotate between one UGV guarding the treeline and another one at the rear, which will have to be manually reloaded. Now what if the 50 cal machine gun jams? Once again, you have to bring it back to the rear for repair. In this footage, we can see a Russian UGV platform called Kurgir. As we can observe, the robot has to be reloaded by hand. And look how tedious it is. All this work only for the robot to fire a couple seconds. Because I checked that the Ukrainian droid TW has a loadout of 300 rounds of 12.7 caliber. That's equivalent to 36 seconds of continuous firing. Of course, in practice, the operator is going to use burst fire, but it's still not a lot. In comparison, a machine gun team typically carries 1,000 rounds of ammo. And when they're out, they simply have to wait for the new ammo delivery, reload in a couple seconds, and fire again at the enemy. Okay, so reloading is one of the biggest problems. Now I feel there's something off about the story of a 50 cal robot holding an entire treeline for 45 days. No, not because the commander of the NC-13 ground robot unit really loves German WWII stick grenades. Who doesn't love some good old Stielhandgranaten, the potato mashers? Now the problem is that there is relatively little information about this feat of arms. All we were told is that the droid TW 12.7 suppressed all attempts by the enemy to break through into the sector with machine gun fire. Because of that, the enemy failed to infiltrate or seize the position. Oh yeah, and we were also told that the operators of the NC-13 unit controlled the robot from a safe shelter. I mean, obviously, they're gamers after all, right? First of all, we don't know where the combat drone was deployed. Was it right on the contact line or kilometers at the rear? We don't see the machine gun firing at enemy troops either, so it's hard to determine the real impact it had. Now what about autonomy? How long can it stay in position? From what I'm reading, the autonomy is 3 hours of continuous movement, but up to 72 hours in stationary mode. Apparently, in response to this problem, Ukrainian engineers developed a new version with a fuel generator attached to it, which allows to stationary loiter at a position for a week. But once again, that's in theory. We still have to see how all these figures will be verified on the battlefield. Another problem of such 50 cal droids is that they have to be positioned outside the trench to move and fire. It cannot just take cover into a dugout. And if the operator drives into the woods, or if there's some obstacle, the thing might get stuck or just flip over. So their movement is limited. And if they remain stationary, well, they will stick out. And in turn, they will become easy targets for artillery and FPV drones. That's when you'll ask me, but what about creating an underground firing position just for these unmanned robots? First of all, how would you even get them there? Other than that, we talked about the droids' limited autonomy. So usually they have to be driven close to the front. And because they're so heavy, they need to go down a ramp. And then I will say, how do you reload? This would require a soldier to get to the position with all the ammo. And oh, so complicated. And once again, the field of vision will be extremely restricted. But there is a solution to this problem. More on that in a moment. Also in the footage, we only see the droid fire a couple times. But there's nothing to confirm that Grun robots actually held an entire treeline for 45 days straight. That's why I would say that there's 75% chances that this entire story is propaganda. Personally, what I think actually happened is that this 50 cal UGV was sent to some treeline, fired a couple rounds while being recorded from above, and then it returned to base. End of story. Maybe it wasn't even used at the front and then it's just all fake. Now let's move on to this video claiming that three Russian soldiers were captured by UGV alone. And how for the first time in history, a position was captured by an unmanned system. First of all, why is the Russian soldier laying prone on the ground the moment the video starts recording? It's very strange. Usually how it goes from all the footage we have, is that the soldiers are hiding until they're told to get out with their hands up. And why is the footage so blurry? Right off the bat, I don't know. It feels staged. The soldiers eventually come out. What are they looking at on the right side? If the footage is legit, there are for sure Ukrainian soldiers giving instructions to the Russian POWs. And the 50 cal UGV was just there as a point man in case the Russians decided to play a trick like throwing a grenade. Notice how the camera conveniently blurred the screen at the top. Another thing that is strange is that a third Russian soldier comes out. I cannot show it to you, but he's covered in red stains. Clearly he's severely wounded, but he moves as if he's completely fine. Once again, they're looking away, but not at the big robot right in their face. Cut! Cut! Blyat, guys! Look at the freaking robot! Okay, let's restart. Action! It's only at the very end that they acknowledge the droid. Some people say they found the geolocation of the event. Somewhere in Ternovate. Maybe. Geolocation experts are not even sure if that's the right spot. So really we don't know where it was recorded. It could be anywhere in Ukraine. What I find strange is that usually Ukrainian soldiers show aerial drone footage of Russian soldiers surrendering. Why don't we have it here? How come we have aerial drone footage of the ground robot holding the treeline, but for this exceptional operation, zero aerial footage? And we know that Ukrainian units upload 20-minute videos showing exactly how they captured Russian soldiers. Why is this video with the robot only one minute long? Let's be real, such an operation would deserve a one-hour-long documentary. Yet the footage conveniently cuts the moment the Russian soldiers stand up. I don't know about you, but I think it's completely staged. And you know what's the worst? It's not even the Ukrainian unit that published the video, but DevDroid, the company that created the robot. It feels like a product demo. To be honest, it probably is. In comparison, not so long ago, on the 22nd of May, two Russian soldiers surrendered to an FPV drone and then embarked on a UGV meant to transport them to Ukrainian lines. Notice how it was recorded from above. Now that's an actual video of robots capturing a position and taking prisoners. But I'm not done. There's a lot of stuff to debunk. In this other video, we see a droid TW 12.7 ambushing a Russian MTLB armored troop transport. But if we watch the entire video, it's clear that the armored vehicle was barely damaged. If anything, it almost rammed the UGV, and then the droid would have been kaput. So does this mean that machine gun UGVs are useless? No, I wouldn't go as far as to say that. Here we can see actual combat footage of a robot armed with an M2 Browning, 131st Separate Reconnaissance Battalion, and the precise geolocation in Ternovate. We see that a recon drone is guiding the UGV and that the robot is firing towards a Russian soldier, who quickly hides in the house. The robot then stays in position until a bomber drone finishes the job. This is what an actual 100% unmanned operation looks like. But again, there are still limitations. A droid TW 12.7 cannot enter a building, especially when there's rubble on the ground. It cannot clear basements or move up and down stairs. In the video, we can see that the UGV was blocked by a fence. Walls would obviously also be a problem. Same thing for tree lines. That's why, as of now, I've mostly seen these machine gun UGVs operate on roads or flat open terrain. The same way that we have FPV drones just camping on roads waiting for a vehicle to pass by, you could have these ground robots just camp somewhere and open fire the moment they see enemy soldiers, and sometimes kilometers inside enemy lines. But would they be more effective than FPV drones? But that's also why these platforms armed with machine guns have proven to be very effective in clearing logistical routes. As you know, many fiber optics drones are just camping on the main supply lines waiting for vehicles to pass. That's when 50 cal UGVs can go back and forth along roads and destroy any FPV drone laying around. They would be perfect for that job. But the central point remains. Are these ground robots really going to replace infantry on the battlefield? I don't know. But if we think outside the box, another potential use of these M2 Browning ground robots could simply be to shoot down incoming FPV drones. Like in this video where an MG UGV was deployed in an urban area and used automatic target acquisition to engage an FPV drone. But overall, I mostly see these 50 cal unmanned ground systems to be used in defense. More specifically as stationary sentry guns like the Wally 762 combat module by DevDroid. These could supplement infantry squad by firing from bunkers, underground positions, trench bastions, and be reloaded or redeployed by riflemen. Sentry guns would be ideal for urban areas. Several of these could even create a layered defense network where they mutually cover each other. But then again, what about the battery life? What about jamming? I didn't even think about that. As opposed to robots, infantrymen sitting in buildings cannot be jammed by the enemy. So yeah, you can position these sentry guns all over a city and the moment they get jammed, it's over. That's why when Brigadier General Beletsky told students on May 1st that strike UGVs could replace 50% of the infantry, I don't know. We're not there yet. Ukrainian engineers also thought of different ways to weaponize these ground robots. I mean, if you can fit a machine gun, why not a rocket launcher? In the summer of 2025, the 92nd Assault Brigade tried to arm UGVs with 57mm S5 unguarded rockets. But results were not conclusive. Meanwhile, the Russians tested unmanned tracked mortars that reload on their own. But there exists another type of combat ground robots. Earlier, we talked about some weaknesses regarding FPV strike drones and bomber quadcopters, such as limited payload, as well as limited damage against buildings or reinforced structures. Why not get inspired by FPV kamikaze drones and simply turn UGVs into guided demolition charges? It's a brilliant idea! Why didn't anyone in the past think about it? It's as if every time we discover something new, we just hear an echo from deep down into the Reichstag. Actually, it's a French engineer called Adolphe Quecresse that invented it. And the Germans simply took his prototype from his workshop in 1940. It's also important to mention that the Soviets also developed their own model in 1941 called the ET-1627. But if we focus on the Ukrainian war, as a matter of fact, already in April 2024, the 63rd Mechanized Brigade made use of small kamikaze UGVs and detonated them remotely. But once again, it took time for the technology to mature. Nowadays, one of the most widely used UGVs is the Termite. The platform itself weighs around 280 kg and can lift up to 300 kg of cargo. It has a top speed of 10 km per hour, an operational range of up to 20 km, and an endurance of roughly 12 hours. One of the most forward-thinking upgrades is the integration of a Starlink mini terminal, allowing the vehicle to maintain resilient satellite communications even in contested environments. Additional optional upgrades include the Boombox electronic warfare system, designed to disrupt enemy drones and communications. Another popular model is the smaller Circo S1 due to its ability to cross difficult terrain. Contrary to the flashy 50-cal machine gun droids, kamikaze UGVs have a proven track record. In this video from the 16th of November, we see a UGV from the K2 Brigade sneak up to a rifle team of three Russians and then detonate just a couple meters away from them. Is it more effective than an FPV drone? Not really. This literal operation was really a stroke of luck. But it did show the possibilities of miniature kamikaze UGVs The downside is their limited payload. That's why unit NC-13 from the 3rd Assault Brigade thought bigger. They strapped 12 T-62 anti-tank mines to a UGV. Allegedly, they also added a couple of Stielhandgranaten and covered everything up with a camouflage net. That way, if a Russian drone spots the vehicle, it might think it's only transporting supplies. Guys, check out this place. It literally feels like a gaming center with controllers and big screens. You can also imagine the smell in there. The benefit of these kamikaze UGVs is that they're heavier and they have a lower profile, meaning they can cross over any type of terrain as opposed to machine gun droids. This robot here traveled 20 kilometers and eventually the kamikaze UGV reached the building and boom! Same thing in the following footage where these robots are used to eliminate enemy strongholds. Something FPV drones just can't do. Kamikaze UGVs can also operate in the middle of a snowstorm or even when it's raining. Once again, something FPV drones cannot do. Now, I hear you. You might say, why not just fire a couple of good old artillery rounds into these buildings? Yeah, yeah. Good question. First of all, because some positions are hard to hit with the lobing artillery shells, such as compact buildings in industrial areas Here from the 12th of May, we see a UGV infiltrate through tight pathways and drive right into the door of the hangar. And the second reason is because kamikaze UGVs have a much larger payload. An OF-462 round, or Soviet-type D-30 122mm howitzer, contains 3.67 kilograms of TNT. In contrast, 12 T-62 anti-tank mines are worth roughly 90 kilograms of TNT, or the equivalent of 25 artillery shells. So it's going to make a big explosion. These UGVs travel slowly. So if you need something quick, you're going to use an artillery strike. But they're perfect if you want to eliminate an enemy stronghold that has been standing there for weeks. Now you're probably thinking, if they're so slow and bulky, why can't Russian FPV drones just destroy them before they hit the target? Yes, yes. Glad you asked. Once again, it's from our beloved unit NC-13. They sent 3 UGVs full of explosives towards Russian lines. And that's when they get swarmed by drones. The UGV operators had to slalom in order to avoid being destroyed. In total, the Russians spent 5 FPV drones, dropped 8 munitions, and fired another 5 artillery rounds only to destroy one of the 3 kamikaze UGVs. The two others managed to deliver the payload right to the target. That's an example of a successful mission. But you can imagine the number of failed operations that would obviously not be published online. So it's hard to determine the actual success rate of these UGVs. Mines are obviously an obstacle. And then once again, there's jamming. The Modern War Institute at West Point declared, despite multiple communication options, Ukrainian operators still struggle to maintain reliable links due to intense Russian jamming and electronic fratricide, which degrades radio control. Stalling terminals often provide data transfer rates as little as 10 megabytes per second, resulting in poor video quality that inhibits battlefield effectiveness. But that being said, I wanted to show you this next mission that took place in March. It was very interesting. Because the cameras of the two UGVs sent forward all of a sudden failed. What happened is that FPV drones were falling left and right and the cameras got disabled. The operators in the control center were effectively blinded. So what do you do? They had to drive the UGV to the target using the footage from the aerial drone circling above the vehicle. Eventually, they reached an enemy tank and detonated the thing. Once again, this means you always need aerial recon drones for such missions. Although I mostly talked about the AFU, you have to understand that both Ukraine and Russia make use of combat UGVs. But not in the same way. Ukraine openly stated that it wants to compensate its shortage of manpower with robotization. Ukraine is clearly placing the focus on UGVs that multiply firepower, either armed with M2 Browning machine guns or filled with explosives. For sure, the Russians also have machine gun UGVs. This one can even fire RPGs. There are also some grenade launcher variants. And of course, Russian priests are blessing them. So Russian forces are also developing machine gun UGVs. But that's not the main focus of the Russian armed forces. And they don't need the kamikaze UGVs with all the firepower they already have. What they want is to break through. The Russian army is opting for ground robots that can break the deadlock once and for all and allow the return to some movement. A paratrooper with the callsign Kashchei said that they mainly use UGVs equipped with mine rollers to clear out supply roads. He said that the enemy actively uses remote mining using drops from FPV drones and other means. Mainly at night and in the evening, most often devices with electromagnetic target sensors are used, which cannot be demined manually. Such robots would essentially replace tanks equipped with mine rollers. They could also greatly help Russian combat engineers. Russian forces are currently testing a multitude of deminer UGVs. For example, the 12th Guards Engineering Brigade developed this model which releases a powerful electromagnetic pulse, which triggers the activation of magnetic sensors inside mines. Overall, this significantly speeds up the mine clearance process and reduces the risk for engineering sapper personnel. And as we can observe in this footage, such demining UGVs are very resistant to enemy drone strikes. However, the threat of FPV drones remains. Other Russian units even built armor around the robots to protect them from enemy FPV drone strikes. We can observe two very different doctrines in the use of ground combat robots. In the near future, we could imagine waves of demining robots opening paths for Russian armored vehicles. In this footage, we can see one of them clearing a passage for the 49th Army. Other Russian engineers developed the Addis variant that can release a smoke screen. Here we can observe a close-up of the Addis UGV. Now by deploying multiple ones at the same time, Russian assault teams could in theory attack while covered by a huge smoke screen. Ground robots could also help infantry cross over obstacles. Instead of sentry guns like for Ukraine, Russian forces are thinking of machine gun UGVs that can support storm detachments. Such as UGVs meant to shoot down incoming FPV drones in the sector of the attack. The Russian military is also thinking of ways to transport assault units with UGVs. But the obvious problem is the complete lack of protection for passengers. Apparently, from a technical standpoint, Russian UGVs still need some work. They're not there yet. The suspension of the Bogomol and Kuryeri is still underdeveloped, leading to overheating and electronic failure. There's also insufficient cross-country ability during precipitation, and there are also failures in other systems. The article also states that since the Staling shutdown, Russian units struggle to maintain communication with these ground robots. In summary, Ukraine is prioritizing UGVs that can enhance firepower, while Russia is seeking ground robots that will expand its ability to maneuver on the battlefield. But yeah, I guess soon we will see the clash between the Russian and the Ukrainian doctrines regarding combat UGVs. And we'll analyze the results. So we saw how the combat use of UGVs still faces many limitations. However, it's in support roles that ground robots demonstrated their greatest value. You remember what I told you at the beginning, how Brigadier General Bilecki, the commander of Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps, talked about the urgent need for robotization in the AFU. Well, Bilecki's reasoning was that a lot of Ukrainian soldiers serve at the rear in logistics. And on top of that, the supply runs also happen to be very dangerous due to Russian drones. So the idea was for UGVs to carry out routine logistics such as delivering supplies, ammunition, or building materials to troops deployed on the contact line. And that's how robots would effectively replace about 30% of Ukraine's manpower. As a matter of fact, the 3rd Assault Brigade, Bilecki's former command, announced that they conducted 80% of logistics using UGVs. We already established that the main advantage of unmanned ground vehicles compared to FPV drones lies in the amount of weight they can carry in any type of weather. That's why we can observe a multitude of little remote-controlled carts going back and forth between the rear and front line positions. And they come in all sizes. Here's one of the plus-size models. More cushion for the pushing. And here's a smaller Sirko S1 UGV delivering supplies for New Year's Eve to soldiers of the 78th Airborne Assault Brigade. But let's take a closer look at how they're being used and the challenges that they're facing. On the 20th of January, the Curtin Company Unit of the 28th Mechanized Brigade said that the UGVs have become an integral part of crucial processes in war. In our case, logistics. Remote control allows to quickly, efficiently, and most importantly, without excessive risk to the soldier, to complete the assigned task. Equally, Ukraine's 25th Airborne clearly states that UGV deliveries are very safe for the crews. Obviously, the ground robots can operate in very difficult terrain. And then the soldiers simply have to pick up their delivery. For example, in this delivery, it's mostly packs of water. Ukrainian soldiers simply have to wait in the dugouts for their Uber Eats little delivery carts to arrive. I just hope the guys are not going to get scammed by these extra fees. It's important to understand that before each mission, detailed reconnaissance must be conducted with careful route planning. The ground robot then stops at the rally point and then it's like an F1 pit stop. The soldiers have to quickly pick up the supplies and the UGV rolls back. In this footage from the 110th Mechanized Brigade, the UGV managed to deliver 400 kilograms of supply during the night. However, the strength of these UGVs is that they can tow carts. A popular model for this is the Rattle H, since it's a heavyweight of 1,100 kilograms. Imagine all the weight they can transport. For example, this UGV pulled more than 1,500 kilograms of logs. In the following video, you can see a ground robot pulling a small cart, and they're both filled with various supplies. And the troops then simply take the cart. UGVs often complete several routes in a day. This one drove back to the rear, and then we see a logistics unit filling the vehicle once again for another delivery. UGV logistics greatly reduce mortality in the armed forces of Ukraine. And all the soldiers that were used for these routine missions can then fill in the units at the front line that lack riflemen. Obviously, Russian drone units quickly started to target UGVs, especially since they're so slow. If pickup trucks zip through at 80-100 kilometers per hour, a UGV's stop speed is 10 kilometers per hour, and probably even slower if it has a huge load. This led to funny sequences where UGVs filled with supplies tried to evade a Russian fiber optics drone. As for UGV losses, we have this very detailed info coming from Russia's elite Rubicon drone operators. They claim to have destroyed over 1,500 Ukrainian ground robots, of which 275 in the past 30 days alone. And that's just Rubicon, without taking into account other Russian units. Still, it's just a fraction of the 15,000-plus unmanned ground vehicles in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But UGV logistics is still a great success. If one of these carts get destroyed, it's no big deal. The important thing is that it saved the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. For Ukraine, this translates into more infantry available for offensive operations and a slower rate of force degradation over time. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense also announced that the FU carried 9,000 ground drone missions in March alone. And it is aiming for 100% robotic logistics, as 25,000 UGVs are set to be contracted in the first half of 2026. What about Russia? Well, Russia is also ramping up the use of UGVs to supply its troops. And they're currently testing various models as well. In the following footage, this Russian Courier UGV resisted to three explosions and still managed to deliver the supplies. But overall, the Russian Armed Forces are still behind. As they only have 1,000 to 2,000 UGVs of models Courier, Varan, and Impulse-M. Now, the main problem of UGV logistics that I see is that it can deliver supplies, but it's currently impossible to carry out infantry unit rotations. So, it probably won't solve the problem of Ukrainian soldiers being stuck in a dugout for months without end. Now, the dilemma regarding the transport of personnel leads us to the next topic. With the growing number of drones circling over the battlefield, traditional medevacs also became very difficult, if not impossible. So, if a UGV can carry 300-400 kilograms of supplies, it can also transport wounded soldiers, right? That's the idea that some Ukrainian soldiers had already a year ago. On May 20, 2025, the Kharitia Brigade published the first recorded instance of a UGV being sent to the front to evacuate a wounded soldier. Now, this was revolutionary. All of a sudden, you didn't need to risk the lives of many very valuable medics just to save one guy. In this video from October 2025, the UGV drone drove until it found the unit calling for help. Soldiers loaded their wounded comrade into the platform and the recon UAVs following the operation from above. The UGV transported the wounded soldier to a rally point where it was met by an M113 APC, and then the ground robot simply drove directly into the APC. In this other footage, ground robot Circo 277 was returning to its base after successfully delivering ammunition, food, and medical supplies to the soldiers of the 100th Mechanized Brigade, when suddenly soldiers from another brigade stopped it. To the built-in speaker, the operator of the Circo addressed to them by saying, Glory to Ukraine, soldiers! Do you need help? They asked the operators if they could evacuate one of their wounded comrades using their UGV, and that's how Circo 277 was given ammunition. Good thing Uber Eats is not in charge of this service. If you want to get rescued first, you have to pay for premium, but as you can imagine, medical evacuations are much more complex than simple supply runs. If your UGV transporting bottles of vodka get struck, yes, it's a big disaster, but in the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal. But you don't want to take that risk if you're transporting a wounded soldier. In this one, a Ukrainian soldier had a leg injury and could not be evacuated for 20 days. Eventually, fog allowed a UGV to cover 15 kilometers and evacuate him. In this one, a soldier from the 53rd Mechanized Brigade got shot in the grey zone sometime around January 2026. The medical unit launched 8 unsuccessful attempts at a conventional evacuation, meaning using pickup trucks, and another 2 using ground robots. Can you imagine that? 10 attempts just to rescue one soldier. And all of them failed. Time was running out. Luckily, the 11th attempt was successful. The wounded man was transported to a safe zone and received the necessary medical assistance. This other evacuation near Pokrovsk took 7 hours. It required a lot of focus from drivers since the operation was complicated by mud, the danger of mines and enemy FPVs. Anxiety is always present for the drivers of these UGVs, because every additional hour could be fatal for the soldier they're looking to rescue. The weather was bad, it was raining. We had to choose a longer route on the road, because we wouldn't have been able to drive through the fields, we would have been stuck. We were choosing a part of the route, and the last part of the route was sent to us by phone. We were watching a video on the phone. It's not clear, there might have been an UGV, or something else. But we decided that if we went there, no one would shoot us, so we went back. The UGV was coming behind us, it was sent to us like this, and it just flew over us, fell down, and didn't stop. I worry a lot when I drive an UGV. I worry a lot. Everyone is trying to find a way to get away from it, so that it doesn't hit us. Yes, the hands of the UGV are trembling. Do you understand? It entrusts its life to you, and you have to get out of it. Yes, the hands of the UGV are trembling. Do you understand? It entrusts its life to you, and you have to get out of it. The transmission of the UGV went through the enemy territory. When they saw our car, they told me to get out, and I got out. I opened my eyes, and I was already in the car. Guys, thank you very much for taking the opportunity to get out of the UGV. UGV medical evacuations are extremely important for morale. Infantrymen know that there is a hope that if they get wounded, they're going to be picked up and brought back to the rear. Here's a story of how the 63rd brigade had to rescue two soldiers in terrible weather. The commander had to leave at 2 a.m. He left at 3 a.m. He had to leave at 3 a.m. The difficulty was that the weather conditions were terrible. Rain, snow, wind. The visibility was bad. We had to hide several times so that they would not see us and would not burn the position. We were driving blindly. We had to look for them a little bit. Move back and forth so that the guys could hear. We gave the guys anti-drone helmets so that they could not be seen. When we moved back, the weather got worse. We got stuck a little bit. The guys on the radio told us where to go. We were shaking our legs so that we could save the guys and bring them to the point of evacuation. Ground robotic complexes are a practical solution that is already saving lives today. This team is said to have rescued 400 soldiers in a single day. As always, enemy FPV drones still remain the main threat. So starting in May, Ukrainian engineers developed this other UGV called MAW equipped with a polypropylene armored capsule to protect the soldier from explosions. Again, that is revolutionary. Hold on a second. Imagine if they do the same thing but to transport soldiers to the front line. We can also be certain that the Russians are also developing their own systems. It's just that we have much more information in the media coming from the Ukrainian side. But there's this one video I found and that I thought was interesting. The Russian army is currently training for combat operations with unmanned ground systems deployed right behind strong detachments, handling ammunition deliveries as well as the evacuation of wounded personnel. At last, if it's true that UGV operators have to concentrate for hours, sometimes in smelly basements filled with energy drinks. Ultimately, the success of the mission depends on the reliability of the vehicles. The Modern War Institute wrote, Frontline UGV workshops are not a luxury in modern high-intensity conflict. They are a combat necessity. For UGVs, the maintenance challenge is even more acute than it is for aerial drones because UGVs face harsher mechanical stresses mud, rough terrain, mine blasts and direct fire that rapidly degrade tracks, motors and control systems. The unmanned unit of the Rubizh Brigade declared that every UGV mission is the result of many hours of meticulous work. They added that labor in workshops never stops. Some vehicles are returning from missions while others are already being prepared for the next deployment. In the laboratory, there are almost no pauses. Assembly, testing and updates after each combat deployment. That's not all, mechanics also have to adapt UGVs for specific needs and conditions, repairing them after breakdowns and damage and improving them based on feedback from pilots. As you can see, deploying ground robots is a complex ecosystem that requires welders, electricians, engineers, drivers, programmers and sappers. Ukrainian brigades are currently launching large recruitment campaigns in order to attract these specialists. Promising they won't be sent to the front. Meanwhile, young recruits during basic military training will likely be encouraged to join UGV units as drivers due to their gaming skills. Unmanned systems units are also perfect for wounded personnel that would want to return into the military. There's the story of this Ukrainian soldier that was amputated of both his legs but that returned to duty as a UGV operator. Unmanned ground systems are still very new. They are at a very early stage of development, and the long-term effect they will have on the battlefield will still have to be determined. Ukraine is betting heavily on the robotization of its military. Machine gun equipped UGVs were designed to supplement infantry units with additional firepower but their limited ammunition capacity and mobility restrict their tactical usefulness. Meanwhile, kamikaze UGVs can carry far larger explosive payloads than aerial drones, and operate in adverse weather conditions. Yet their deployment often requires hours of preparation, and they remain vulnerable to enemy jamming. By contrast, Russia is prioritizing ground robots aimed at restoring battlefield mobility through tasks such as demining, deploying smoke screens, and countering enemy UAVs. Ultimately, unmanned ground vehicles have achieved their greatest success not as combatants, but in logistics and medical evacuation roles, where they have increasingly replaced soldiers in some of the most dangerous tasks. And this is just the beginning. Exoskeletons are being tested with Ukrainian artillery crews as they reduce physical strain by 30%. Meanwhile, a handful of Phantom Mk1 humanoid robot soldiers have been delivered to Ukraine to evaluate their effectiveness. That's all I have for you today, and see you in the next one.