In the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Ukrainian military has increasingly integrated unmanned ground vehicles into frontline operations, marking a notable evolution in modern warfare. These ground robots, ranging from tracked and wheeled machines to custom-built devices, conduct hundreds of missions monthly, including delivering supplies, evacuating wounded soldiers, laying mines, and even engaging in combat.
This deployment represents a shift in battlefield tactics as Ukraine seeks to mitigate risks to its personnel amid intense fighting and drone surveillance. The threat from aerial drones has expanded the so-called “kill zone” along the front lines to as far as 15 miles in some areas, making human movement increasingly perilous. As a result, ground robots have become vital in reducing soldiers’ exposure to enemy fire while maintaining operational effectiveness.
The development of these systems has largely been driven by frontline infantry personnel and mechanics rather than traditional military or technological experts. Captain Oleksandr Kharkovets, who leads a ground robot battalion within the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, exemplifies this approach. With a background in automotive electronics, he retrofitted a remote-controlled vehicle named “I.R.I.S.” with weaponry and used it to draw enemy fire and retrieve the fallen, reducing the risk to soldiers. His efforts helped convince military commanders to adopt unmanned ground systems more broadly.
Major Oleksandr, who commands the unmanned ground systems battalion of the K-2 Brigade, emphasizes the importance of these vehicles to preserving human life and fulfilling logistics tasks under fire. His unit, comprising over 500 soldiers and 600 robots, carries out multiple missions daily that would otherwise expose personnel to danger. Ground robots are favored for their stealth compared to pickup trucks, producing no body heat and being smaller and harder to detect from above. Though slower and less agile than humans, they perform critical support functions such as resupplying units and evacuating casualties—they were used to rescue an injured soldier who had stepped on a mine after traversing two-and-a-half miles of contested territory.
Despite their benefits, these machines face limitations. The uneven and debris-strewn terrain of the battlefield hampers movement, and ground robots remain vulnerable to enemy fire and mines. Engineers have responded by outfitting them with improvised defenses, including miniaturized air defense systems and friend-or-foe identification technology to avoid incidents of friendly fire. The vehicles also carry a higher cost relative to drones—approximately $24,000 per unit—making them less numerous and versatile in some respects compared to aerial drones, which can carry out faster resupply runs and reconnaissance missions.
Ukraine’s military has embraced these systems at a scale surpassing that of Russia, with production targets aiming for tens of thousands in the coming years. The rapid development and deployment have turned ground robots into indispensable assets that support both logistics and combat roles. In one instance, a Ukrainian unit mounted a 50-caliber machine gun on a tracked vehicle, which maintained a frontline position for 45 days, successfully deceiving opposing forces into believing it was manned.
More recently, coordinated strikes employing both aerial and ground drones carried out what is believed to be the first all-robot assault, overrunning a Russian-held position without putting Ukrainian soldiers in direct danger. These unmanned vehicles have even taken prisoners, escorting them back to Ukrainian lines under remote supervision.
Experimental automated turrets to counter hostile drones are further expanding the tactical role of ground robotics. These systems operate with stealth by minimizing heat and movement between engagements, protecting soldiers by neutralizing threats from above.
As the conflict continues, Ukrainian forces are adapting their tactics and technologies, constantly innovating on the front lines. Ground robotic units regularly update and upgrade their equipment, incorporating improvements in sensors, communication systems, and armor to enhance operational range and survivability.
While ground drones do not yet rival the ubiquity or flexibility of aerial drones, they increasingly form a crucial component of Ukraine’s defense strategy—reducing risks for human soldiers and reshaping the nature of ground combat in the process.