With the increasing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, a war that has already lasted over a year, technological advancements in the military field are being presented to aid in combat.
With this in mind, Ukraine has developed a “robot army.” According to a report by the Kyiv Independent, the country plans to have more than 200 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in operation by the end of the year.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former Ukrainian commander-in-chief, said in a November 2023 interview with The Economist that the war was “positional,” warning that the prolonged conflict threatened not only Ukraine’s military but the survival of the state itself.
With the help of various Western countries, Ukraine is turning to technology to level the playing field. What started with drone warfare has expanded to advanced robotic systems, marking a new chapter in Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
In December 2024, Ukrainian forces reached a milestone by launching their first successful attack on Russian positions using only ground drones and FPV.
Robot dog in service on the frontlines in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/3DZYQqchwT
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) January 30, 2025
“Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly highlighted Ukraine’s efforts to use technological innovations and asymmetric attack capabilities to compensate for Ukraine’s manpower limitations, in contrast to Russia’s willingness to accept unsustainable casualty rates for marginal territorial gains,” commented the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) about the attack.
In February of last year, President Volodymyr Zelensky established the National Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), appointing Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi as commander in June. However, robots alone won’t solve Ukraine’s labor shortage.
Photo and video: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine / X @United24media. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
