Ukraine War… 21,000 Missions for Robots in Three Months
Reliance on unmanned systems instead of soldiers continues to grow in the war in Ukraine, which has become a testing and development ground for weapons.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced that the number of missions carried out by unmanned ground vehicles (ground robots) has tripled over the past five months.
In a statement, the ministry explained that ground robots conducted more than 9,000 combat and logistical missions along the front lines in March alone, compared to more than 2,900 missions in November.
The ministry noted that March’s figures helped raise the total number of missions carried out by Ukrainian ground robots to more than 21,500 during the first quarter of the year, according to the U.S. outlet Business Insider.
Unmanned ground vehicles are remotely operated ground systems generally designed to perform tasks in place of soldiers during dangerous missions, such as delivering supplies to front lines, clearing mines, and securing fortified positions.
These ground robots are typically tracked or wheeled systems designed to traverse rough terrain. They can serve as platforms for transporting supplies, ammunition, and wounded soldiers, or in some cases, remotely controlled weapons.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated: “167 defense units used ground robots in March, compared to only 67 units in November 2025.”
According to the ministry, four of the five units that most heavily rely on unmanned ground vehicles are combat brigades known for their involvement in fighting on the eastern and northeastern fronts.
The other listed unit is the 1st Separate Medical Battalion, a unit of the Ukrainian International Legion, known for pioneering the use of unmanned ground robots to evacuate wounded soldiers.
As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, the importance of ground robots has increased, as Kyiv faces difficulties recruiting additional soldiers.
At the same time, the widespread presence of small drones makes movement in frontline areas particularly risky.
In addition to Ukraine, Russia, which faces significant pressure to maintain the pace of its infantry offensives, is also deploying unmanned ground vehicles.
As early as 2024, Ukraine stated that it expected to use more unmanned ground vehicles, but these systems did not gain widespread recognition until 2025, when some brigades established dedicated units for them.
Despite their rapid growth, the use of ground robots in the war remains limited compared to the use of aerial drones.
