Robotic vehicles to be rolled out to bolster Ukrainian front line
Kyiv is launching a new initiative to deploy robotic combat vehicles to the front lines, as the war with Russia intensifies the need for technological superiority.
The Ukrainian Defence Ministry announced the creation of specialised robotic units on Wednesday, releasing an image of a weaponised unmanned ground vehicle (UGV).
Drones, particularly aerial ones, have become indispensable in the conflict since Russia's 2022 invasion. With both sides deploying vast numbers of drones monthly, the focus has shifted to replacing ground troops with UGVs, a move driven by dwindling Ukrainian manpower reserves, according to officials.
Defence Minister Rustem Umerov stated, "The Ministry of Defence is launching a project that will scale up the use of unmanned ground systems in the military."
It added that the project was based on trials conducted in co-operation with soldiers since the summer of 2024.
Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told Reuters in December that Ukraine would need tens of thousands of un-crewed robotic ground vehicles this year.
Units on both sides of the war have already been using UGVs, usually controlled remotely by a pilot through a camera feed.
The defence minister said robot vehicles would be used for offence, defence, logistics, evacuating casualties and laying or clearing mines.
"Our goal is to create a military where innovative technologies help perform the most dangerous tasks, saving the lives of our defenders."
It comes as Ukraine launched a drone attack on a Russian oil depot.
Up to 55 people were fighting to extinguish the fire in Krasnodar, southern Russia, on Wednesday morning, the region's governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.
Kyiv has launched a series of drone attacks on Russian energy facilities over recent days, including at a major oil refinery in Volgograd.
Volodymyr Zelensky has also signalled he is ready to negotiate the end of the Ukraine war with Russian president Vladimir Putin if it was the only method to bring peace to Ukraine.
"If that is the only set-up in which we can bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people, definitely, we will go for this set-up for the meeting,' he said.
"I will not be kind to him. I consider him an enemy. And to be honest, I believe he considers me an enemy as well," Zelensky said.
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