(UKRAINE) – Ukraine has completed a notable frontline operation in which a ground based unmanned system held a defensive position for several weeks, underlining Kyiv’s growing reliance on robotic warfare to reduce risks to its soldiers. The operation highlighted a widening contrast with Russian forces, which have recently been documented using horse mounted troops in assaults across open terrain.
According to Ukrainian military sources, a ground drone operated by the Third Army Corps maintained a frontline position for 45 consecutive days, replacing infantry rotations entirely. The system was used to suppress enemy movement, repel repeated attacks, and monitor Russian activity without any Ukrainian casualties during the period.
The unmanned platform, known as a DevDroid ground robot, was fitted with a 12.7 millimetre Browning M2 machine gun and operated remotely from covered positions. Equipped with thermal imaging, the system was able to detect Russian movements in darkness and poor visibility, allowing Ukrainian operators to respond quickly to attempted advances. Ukrainian officials said the technology transformed night assaults into one sided engagements, as attacking troops were detected before reaching Ukrainian lines.
Ukraine’s use of unmanned systems has expanded steadily over the past year. In July, the Third Army Corps carried out what it described as the world’s first fully unmanned assault. FPV drones struck Russian defensive positions, followed by ground drones carrying explosives, with no Ukrainian infantry entering the contested area. In a separate incident, Ukrainian forces reported that Russian soldiers surrendered directly to drones and were guided remotely to Ukrainian positions as prisoners of war.
These operations are supported by a decentralised system of drone control and maintenance. Operators typically work from bunkers or armoured vehicles behind the contact line, coordinating closely with aerial drones that provide reconnaissance, electronic warfare support, and strike capabilities. Maintenance and repairs are handled by small workshops embedded within frontline units, where technicians can fix tracks, sensors, and electronics within hours using mobile equipment and locally produced components.
Ground drones are deployed forward using information from aerial platforms and communication relays that extend their operational range. After completing missions, the systems return briefly for battery changes and ammunition resupply before redeploying, allowing for continuous coverage of key sectors without exposing infantry to direct fire.
In contrast, Russian forces appear to be facing acute shortages of vehicles and armoured transport. On the Pokrovsk front, where Moscow has concentrated large numbers of troops, Ukrainian soldiers from the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade recorded Russian units advancing on horseback. Ukrainian operators initially engaged the riders directly, but later adapted their tactics to frighten the horses with drone flybys, causing riders to fall before the soldiers were targeted while the animals were spared.
Additional footage suggests that Russian forces are increasingly relying on horses to move troops and supplies, a practice largely absent from European battlefields for more than a century. Ukrainian officials say this reflects the scale of Russian losses in vehicles and armoured personnel carriers, even among units considered relatively capable.
Military analysts note that the use of animals offers little protection against modern surveillance and precision strike systems. Drones equipped with thermal sensors and guided munitions can detect and engage targets regardless of whether they move by vehicle, on foot, or on horseback. Despite this imbalance, Russian command structures appear willing to continue such assaults.
Ukraine, meanwhile, is using technology to address manpower constraints by shifting risk from soldiers to machines. Ukrainian officials said that under the leadership of drone unit commander Magyar, around 10,000 new drone operators were recruited in less than a month. The country has also authorised more than 40 domestically produced ground drone models for use this year alone.
The contrast between robotic defence and horse mounted assaults illustrates two sharply different approaches to warfare emerging on the same battlefield. Ukraine is accelerating the development of an army built around unmanned systems, automation, and rapid innovation, while Russia appears increasingly reliant on improvisation and attrition as its conventional capabilities erode.
