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Defense Ministry: 9 Ukrainian robots have operated on battlefield since start of 2024

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Defense Ministry: 9 Ukrainian robots have operated on battlefield since start of 2024
A Ukrainian robot performs battlefield functions. The Defense Ministry reported May 10 that nine such robots have been put into operation since the start of 2024. (Defense Ministry / Telegram)

Nine land-based Ukrainian robotic complexes have been put into operation since the beginning of the year, the Defense Ministry announced on May 10.

The robots perform a variety of battlefield functions, minimizing risks to Ukrainian troops, the ministry said. Tasks include combat with machine guns, demining, and evacuating wounded soldiers.

"Many domestic manufacturers are currently focused on the production of robotic systems in order to increase the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and save the lives of our soldiers," said Defense Ministry representative Colonel Volodymyr Rochniak.

"Only since the beginning of 2024, nine land-based robotic complexes created by Ukrainian gunsmiths have been codified."

Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on March 12 that Ukraine plans to mass-produce unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in order to reduce human involvement on the front lines.

These mobile robots will be capable of mining, demining, operating attack drones, evacuating wounded soldiers, and transporting ammunition.

Ukraine faces a personnel crisis on the battlefield as the nation struggles to mobilize new conscripts. In April, the parliament passed a bill updating the rules on mobilization to help replenish the Armed Forces' ranks.

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Abbey Fenbert

Senior News Editor

Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.

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