The Ukrainian military is set to receive 15,000 combat robots this year. What roles will these ground drones take on?
The 13th Charter Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard used dozens of drones and combat robots simultaneously against Russian forces in December 2024. This event will one day go down in history as one of the first fully robotic operations.
For now, however, such operations remain the exception rather than the rule. "One of our robots got stuck in the mud during a mission, so we sent another equipped with a winch to retrieve it. In the end, the Russians destroyed the winch robot, while the one that got stuck managed to leave the area," a commander overseeing ground robotic systems (GRS) in one of the Ukrainian brigades told Ekonomichna Pravda, describing a recent incident.
Another soldier recounted the following case: "We sent a kamikaze robot into an enemy dugout, but it failed to explode right at the entrance. So we had to send several first-person view (FPV) drones to blow it up".
This is roughly how the process of adapting new technology unfolds in combat conditions. For now, both manufacturers and the military are still determining what ground robotic systems should look like and how to maximise their effectiveness.
Despite the challenges, the Ukrainian commanders interviewed by Ekonomichna Pravda state that the robots have assisted in evacuating dozens of wounded troops, transporting tonnes of cargo, destroying Russian positions and carrying out specific tasks – all without putting soldiers' lives at risk.
This new type of weapon is being developed at all levels: in combat zones, frontline workshops, defence company facilities, volunteer headquarters and government offices. The main objective is to replace humans with robots in the most perilous areas of the war zone.
The potential for using robots in combat is constrained only by the ingenuity of engineers. These systems are being fitted with turrets, deployed as kamikaze drones, used for cargo transport, equipped with electronic warfare devices and tasked with evacuating the wounded. These robots are also defusing and planting mines, laying barbed wire, setting Russian positions on fire and can even be kitted out with air defence systems.
Hlib Kanevskyi, Director of the Procurement Department at Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, notes that in 2025, the government plans to supply 15,000 robots for combat use, which will mark a significant increase in production compared to last year.
Promising, yet still in development
The key distinction between ground drones and aerial drones lies in their payload capacity. While the largest UAVs can carry just a few dozen kilogrammes of explosives, ground drones can transport hundreds. Ground robots occupy a crucial niche – the transport of equipment, supplies, wounded personnel and weapons.
Why isn't Ukraine already deploying robotic platforms en masse against the Russians?
The first reason is that most robots are still in the early stages of development. A reliable connection is essential, as the contours of the terrain and other obstacles can easily disrupt communication. Additionally, the robot must have all-terrain capability to prevent it from getting stuck in grass, snow, sand, or mud. On top of that, it needs to be relatively inexpensive, as it is intended to be expendable.
The second reason is that the military has yet to master their effective use. Ukrainian troops need to gain a better understanding of the robots' capabilities and plan their routes effectively. Currently, most units have not yet developed specific tactics or determined the key characteristics that ground robots should possess.
The situation with mastering the technology is not consistent: in some areas, the Ukrainian military is making progress, while other areas are lagging behind significantly.
Ekonomichna Pravda has interviewed three commanders of GRS units from the 13th Charter Brigade, the 108th Separate Mechanised Battalion Da Vinci Wolves and the 3rd Assault Brigade, as well as an expert from the Brave1 cluster – a Government of Ukraine initiative that connects innovative companies with ideas and developments for Ukraine's defence. They were asked to assess the Ukrainian military's proficiency in each area of GRS application: logistics, small arms use, kamikaze strikes, mine clearance, evacuation and transport of special equipment.
Logistics – 5.5/10. Currently, cargo transport is one of the most widely used applications for ground robots.
"One unit can transport tonnes of supplies per month over a distance of up to 10 km," Mykola Smetaniuk, a consultant with the Come Back Alive Foundation, a Ukrainian charity organisation, told Ekonomichna Pravda. "If they didn't have robots, the guys would have had to drive pickup trucks or armoured vehicles. Every such trip by car could be fatal, as the battlefield is now infested with enemy FPV drones".
"Logistics models are the most researched among all the robots, though they still lack reliability and cross-country capability on the battlefield," said Andrii, Head of the GRS Department at the 13th Charter Brigade, alias "Mathematician". "The price-to-quality balance remains an issue. It's essential that these drones have a cargo drop system, as without it, soldiers would be at risk trying to collect supplies manually."
Turret robots – 3/10. Although ground platforms with mounted turrets appear to be the most effective, their success in use has been limited so far. Mathematician explains that flawed communication systems and limited all-terrain capability are currently hindering ground robots from effectively using small arms.
"Robots will become a good tool for suppressive fire or covering infantry once more application cases occur. Only after receiving more statistics and feedback will the manufacturer be able to make appropriate improvements," he said.
Robots equipped with small arms were deployed during the robotic operation carried out by the 13th Charter Brigade in Kharkiv Oblast. One of the operation's objectives was reconnaissance by fire, which prompted the Russians to reveal their positions and firing points. Such missions are typically carried out by infantry, but that day, robots took the place of soldiers on the battlefield.
"As far as I'm concerned, the ideal situation is when a robot handles all the risky operations while the human stays under shelter," Oleksandr Yabchanka, Head of the Robotic Systems Service at the Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, told Ekonomichna Pravda. "If that's our goal, then our combat ground platforms are still at the very beginning of their journey.
We've had some successful uses and have inflicted damage on the enemy, but there are still many problems. First, there's the issue of the number of people involved. An attack GRS consists of a platform, a turret and a UAV crew for signal relay and surveillance. So, at least four people are needed to operate one combat robot.
There are also issues with the accuracy of the turrets. If the goal is to take out the enemy, this remains challenging. Although if the objective is to suppress the enemy with machine gun fire, forcing them to stay down and then finish them off with an FPV drone, our automatic turrets are already managing this," Oleksandr added.
Kamikaze robots – 5.5/10. The advent of uncrewed robots allows the military to load several tens of kilogrammes of explosives onto a platform and direct them towards the Russians.
"A Russian dugout was reduced to tatters. We went in with 25 kg of explosives. This is a perfect charge that can travel any distance with a lot of weight, even with an aerial bomb on board. And it's incredibly difficult to destroy," says Yabchanka.
However, the use of such robots is far from being perfect at the moment due to problems with communication, terrain and unrefined tactics.
Kamikaze robots and logistics models are often used as explosives carriers, dropping anti-tank mines on the ground before returning to base. Some robots can transport up to 20 landmines in a single trip.
Mine clearance – 4.5/10. The Ukrainian military requires mine clearance equipment to clear roads and it must be both accurate and error-free.
"A 'tad good' doesn't work in mine clearance," said Mathematician. "After the road is cleared, people will walk on it. If someone gets killed there, then there's no value in such mine clearance. We tested a Ukrainian-made ground drone fitted with a mine trawl. Out of 15 anti-personnel mines, only two exploded. The rest either scattered or ended up on the drone".
There are various types of mine-clearing machines. For example, engineers from the 3rd Assault Brigade have developed a model that destroys light anti-personnel mines by moving ahead of advancing troops. It features three heavy rollers that also serve as wheels.
Evacuation – 3/10. Evacuation robots are among the most promising innovations. In the future, they could fully or partially replace personnel in evacuation teams – a crucial development, as soldiers often risk injury or death while rescuing others. However, current evacuation solutions remain crude, with technology that still lacks reliability.
"We use robotic evacuation vehicles only as a last-ditch resort when no other options are available," says Mathematician. "We've had very few cases so far, but in each one, lives were saved. However, in one instance, the robot started stalling, which put everyone on edge – especially our wounded brother-in-arms with a leg injury.
Evacuation drones need to be high-end: they must have good suspension and reliable communication to prevent the wounded from being shaken, falling out and dying. Some manufacturers believe an FPV drone connection is enough, but in reality, such a basic link is too easy to lose.
Many manufacturers try to combine logistics and evacuation functions in one drone. But I believe it's better to develop a dedicated evacuation platform which should be complex, expensive, with top-tier suspension, stability, comfort and a reliable communication system," Mathematician says.
"An evacuation robot is now a last-resort move, used when an evacuation team would definitely be killed while carrying out the task. Throughout the entire time, we’ve managed to rescue a couple of dozen people on the NCD (Non-Controlled Territory). A reliable evacuation robot must have several alternative communication channels, be enclosed, withstand explosives being dropped on it by drones, and ideally survive an FPV drone strike nearby," says Yabchanka.
In the future, evacuation robots may be equipped with special medical equipment or at least provide warmth to the wounded until they are taken to hospital in order to improve their chances of survival.
Transporting specialised equipment – 3.5/10. Ground robots are often used to carry various types of military equipment that are usually transported manually or in pickup trucks. These may include integration of electronic warfare (EW) systems, signals intelligence (SIGINT) equipment, optical reconnaissance tools or UAV support gear.
"Thanks to ground robots, we now have mobile EW stations. They can be activated remotely and deployed to any chosen point depending on the need to provide cover or respond to enemy drone activity. As a result, EW operators no longer have to run around and risk their lives – ground platforms can carry out part of the task," says Mathematician.
Soldiers from several different units also install equipment for deploying barbed wire on their drones. Such engineering tasks usually require a lot of time and effort, exposing troops to danger each time they go out. Ground drones help automate this process.
Спіральні інженерні загородження типу «єгоза» на Донеччині бійці 93-ї бригади Холодний Яр тягнуть за допомогою наземних дронів.
— 93-тя бригада Холодний Яр (@93OMBr1) March 13, 2025
Вона потрібна для стримування техніки, стримування піхоти.
Військові переконані, що майбутнє війни – за наземними системами. pic.twitter.com/BzZnQhcHzv
R&D in dozens of workshops
Brave1’s technology cluster told EP that 50 ground robots have received clearance for military use. However, only 20-30% of them are consistently used at the front, as most are not technically ready for real combat conditions or have a narrow specialisation.
In total, 250 ground robot models are registered on the Brave1 platform, so many prototypes make it to the front line. "Sixty per cent of what’s available on the market amounts to a raw product. Manufacturers often do not understand the specific requirements that robots must meet on the battlefield," said "Happy", the ground robot platoon commander in the Khartia unit, speaking to EP.
Troops fix "raw" ground robots on their own through frontline workshops – a large decentralised network of facilities where mechanics, engineers and operators independently bring robots to combat readiness, experiment with their design and generate new ideas for manufacturers.
The small workshop of the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, Khartia, has been operating for around nine months. "We get a ground platform from the manufacturer and take it for field testing. There we identify its flaws and then begin working on it. We often change the communications, mechanics, wheels, controllers and motors," said Happy.
New robot modifications are also developed in this workshop, and all developments are shared among soldiers from other units working in similar workshops.
In essence, R&D for Ukrainian ground robots is happening in dozens of different places at once. The future direction of ground robot technology development will largely depend on experiments taking place in these frontline "laboratories".
Many brigades are now expanding their teams of ground robot operators and technical specialists who will work on developing these systems. The Khartia ground robot workshop is currently looking for communications experts, electronics engineers and IT specialists who want to become pioneers in mastering ground robot technology.
Given the importance of frontline workshops in the development process, companies that maintain constant communication with troops, respond to commanders’ needs, quickly make improvements to designs and provide their products for free field testing will gain a competitive edge in the market.
One of the most popular ground robots in the Ukrainian army is the TerMIT model developed by the company Tencore. It is also the model chosen by the Come Back Alive foundation for supplying to the military. As Tencore director Maksym Vasylenko told EP, their robot has undergone hundreds of changes since its creation – most of them emerging through communication with soldiers.
"Units, materials, dimensions, mounts, running gear, suspension, tracks, electronics, communications, batteries, auxiliary equipment, software. After the 300th change, we stopped counting," he says of the TerMIT’s evolution over the past year.
Manufacturers are currently facing two key challenges: improving off-road capability and communications. The latter is considered the biggest issue.
At the Defense Tech Innovations Forum 2025 exhibition, several companies showcased options featuring digital communications, Starlink and fibre optics. The manufacturer of TerMIT has focused on its modularity – the robot’s design allows for the integration of any communication system or the simultaneous combination of several.
There are already mature robot models and companies on the Ukrainian market that have earned a solid reputation among the military. The favourites of the Khartia unit and the Da Vinci Wolves are Targan, TerMIT, Gimli, Teslia, and Rys (Lynx) PRO.
There are experimental models on the market that differ from others but which could still find their niche on the battlefield. For instance, Ukrainian Armor has presented the ground-based unmanned system Protector, which is significantly larger than the average robot but can carry up to a tonne of payload at speeds of up to 60 km/h, effectively replacing a pickup truck.
One of the key areas of use for this robot is transporting ammunition for mortars and artillery. The product is currently undergoing codification.
The technological space for developing ground robots is limitless. Brave1 says that in the future, the technology will move towards greater autonomy, meaning independence from direct operator control. Developers will improve navigation and integrate artificial intelligence and battle management systems so that one person can control several robots simultaneously.
A separate area of development involves automated turrets operated by a soldier under cover. The biggest challenge here is to create a stabilisation system for use on land or sea platforms, develop a high-quality targeting system and possibly adapt it for use as a short-range air defence system.
There will be more robots
Ground robot technology developed throughout last year, as is often the case, through the efforts of volunteers, private investors and the soldiers themselves. The state provided almost no robots to the front, so the troops had to do everything themselves. As a result, technological development was only possible in units that had enough enthusiasts, resources and competent commanders.
As reported by Forbes, the state planned to deliver 10,000 robots to the front in 2024. However, it appears that this plan has not been implemented. The reason may lie in the immaturity of the technology or the military’s unpreparedness for large-scale deployment.
Kaniievskyi, Director of the Procurement Department at the Ministry of Defence, revealed that the state has set a goal to supply 15,000 robots this year. Unlike the previous year, contracting is already underway. The Defence Procurement Agency told EP that in the second half of 2024, the Ministry of Defence signed six contracts for the supply of ground robots worth UAH 100 million (approx. US$2.4m). In the first quarter of 2025, 31 contracts worth UAH 6 billion (approx. US$145m) were signed.
"Last year, we delivered hundreds of robots to the front. This year we plan to deliver thousands," said the director of Tencore.
Kaniievskyi also said that almost all of the robots will be manufactured in Ukraine, as foreign models are significantly more expensive. Defence companies have been required to improve their products during the execution of contracts, as technologies on the battlefield are rapidly evolving and the ground robot sector is developing swiftly.
What might mass deployment look like in practice? Simply look at the experience of the Third Assault Brigade: it has an R&D laboratory, in-house robot models and is about to open a training centre. The brigade has a modern organisational structure designed to integrate these technologies into as many frontline processes as possible.
The speed at which a unit masters the technology directly depends on how many robots it uses during real combat missions.
"The best investment in the development of ground robots is to fund their procurement for defence forces. It’s the soldiers who will study each product, improve it and work on the flaws. The more robots there are on the front line, the more recommendations the military will provide, and the more competitive the manufacturer will become," said Yabchanka.
The ground robot market is now following the same path as FPV drones once did: from makeshift workshops and completely improvised use to building a community of engineers, developing an industry, crafting tactics, creating specialised units and launching dedicated training centres.
The first training centre for ground robot operators was opened at the end of 2024 with the support of the volunteer organisation Victory Drones and the Dignitas charitable foundation. EP has learned that several other similar centres are expected to open in the coming months.
The Russians are also not lagging behind and are developing their own ground robot systems, paying attention to them at a high level. "The enemy is not yet very active in using ground robots, but that is only a matter of time," said Denys Dankov, staff sergeant of the third category at the Unmanned Systems Directorate of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, speaking to EP.
Ukrainian troops and engineers have already gone through this with other technologies, so they are certainly capable of turning ground robots into another success of the defence industry and outpacing the Russians. To do this, maximum support is needed from all relevant institutions and Ukrainian companies.
Everyone can help accelerate the development of ground robot technology today, as the state has limited resources. The more ground robots the military receives, the faster they will learn to operate them and provide feedback to manufacturers.
The Da Vinci Wolves, the Third Assault Brigade, Azov and the First Separate Medical Battalion are raising funds for evacuation robots that will extract the wounded from the most critical situations. You can support the military via this link.
Author: Bohdan Miroshnychenko
Translation: Anastasiia Yankina, Artem Yakymyshyn
Edited by: Susan McDonald