Armed robots take to the battlefield in Ukraine war
Ukraine has embarked on a programme to deploy armed robots on the battlefield against Russian forces.
Coverage by Political Leaning
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Notable Quotes
"Robot wars are already happening."
— Oleksandr Afanasiev , Other
"Modern UGVs are part-autonomous. They can move on their own, they can observe and detect the enemy. But still, the decision to open fire is made by a human, their operator."
— Afghan , Other
"Robot wars are already happening."
— Oleksandr Afanasiev , Other
"They open fire on a battlefield where an infantryman would be afraid to turn up."
— Oleksandr Afanasiev , Other
"In the near future we'll see dozens and even hundreds of smarter and cheaper drones attack from various directions and heights."
— Valerii Zaluzhnyi , Other
"The reality is that the war in Ukraine has long ceased to be only a Ukrainian story. It has become a laboratory of the future."
— Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi , Other
"The ability to destroy logistics keeps growing."
— Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi , Other
"It takes too much time to restore this resource, significantly more than the [weapon] production cycles."
— Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi , Other
"The number of people who are physically capable of performing tasks in the combat zone is minimal."
— Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi , Other
"one of the key tasks is integrating ground robotic systems into combat operations."
— Colonel Vitalii Dobrianskyi , Other
"Ukraine was ready to deepen defense cooperation with Japan by sharing battlefield-tested technologies, including sea drones and interceptor UAVs developed during the war with Russia."
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy , Politician
Key People
Deputy commander of the 33rd Detached Mechanised Brigade's tank battalion.
A Colonel in the Armed Forces of Ukraine involved in integrating robotic systems into combat operations.
Former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine and currently serving as the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK.
He commands the UGV battalion of the Ukrainian army's K2 brigade.
Former commander-in-chief of Ukraine and currently ambassador to the UK.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the President of Ukraine, known for his efforts to secure international support amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Locations
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All Coverage
Ukraine has embarked on a programme to deploy armed robots on the battlefield against Russian forces.
Ukrainian and Russian killer robots are even said to have clashed without humans being present at the site of the battle.
Robots now conduct assaults as the number of troops physically able to operate in the combat zone keeps shrinking, Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief said.
Russian soldiers are turning into 'biological robots' on the Ukrainian battlefield due to special drugs, says platoon commander Tetiana Chornovol.
Ukraine's former Commander-in-Chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, describes the frontline as a 'robotic kill zone' dominated by drones and automated systems, with robots conducting assaults and capturing enemy troops.
In 2025, Ukraine introduced over 80 new weapons and military systems, including 15 aerial unmanned systems and more than 30 ground robotic complexes, integrating them into combat operations to reduce risks to soldiers.
The United States has equipped Ukrainian Magura sea drones with autonomous 'Bullfrog' turrets, enhancing their capabilities to intercept and destroy Russian Shahed drones in the Black Sea.
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