The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced the deployment of robotic units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov announced the deployment of robotic units as part of the Armed Forces brigades on the front line. He named "leading domestic companies" as the main suppliers of ground-based robotic systems, and also said that drone tests had been conducted since the summer of 2024. About how important the movement in this direction is and whether Ukraine will be able to implement the project on its own, in the material of "Gazeta.Ru».
According to the head of the military Department of Ukraine, unmanned ground systems will be used in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in offensive and defensive operations, in logistical and technical support, mining and mine clearance, evacuation of the wounded from the battlefield.
"Our goal is to create an army where innovative technologies help to perform the most dangerous tasks, saving the lives of our defenders," Umerov said and noted that the suppliers of ground-based robotic systems will be "leading domestic companies."
Earlier, the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mikhail Fedorov, said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2025 need tens of thousands of unmanned robotic systems.
The question arises - how realistic are the plans of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense? The military-industrial complex of Ukraine is unlikely to be able to implement such large-scale projects on its own.
And there is only one reason for this - the lack of the necessary electronic component base for the creation of ground-based robotic complexes (RTCs).
For example, this is the case in the creation and production of unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned boats for the Armed Forces of Ukraine - optoelectronic, communication and navigation systems, internal combustion engines for Ukrainian UAVs and back are purely imported.
It is quite possible that the supply of foreign components will make it possible to organize large-scale mass production of ground-based robotic systems in Ukraine.
But then the time factor rises to its full height. Won't the Ukrainian Armed Forces receive all the equipment they need either by the very end of hostilities or after the end of the armed conflict? It cannot be ruled out that the RTK simply will not have time to play any significant role in the fighting.
Are there any "robots" in service with Russia?
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| A serviceman of the engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during a demonstration mine clearance operation using the Uran-M robotic mine clearance system in the Moscow region. |
| Source: Maxim Blinov/RIA Novosti |
As for the Russian Armed Forces, a wide variety of robotic technical systems are currently being used in military operations. Let's name some of them.
One of the most widespread domestic ground-based RTCs is the multifunctional complex "Uran-6", designed for engineering reconnaissance and mine clearance of terrain from antipersonnel mines and explosive objects in remote control mode.
The vehicle has powerful armor protection and can withstand explosions with a capacity of up to 60 kg of TNT. The range of the operator during the control of the robotic complex is up to 1 km. For remote control, four video cameras are installed on the Uran-6, providing an all-round view.
In addition, the engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are equipped with a heavy robotic mine clearance system "Passage-1". This machine is based on the T-90 tank and is capable of neutralizing any minefields with the help of the TMT-S track trawl. "Passage-1" can be controlled remotely via a closed communication channel from a command post based on a KAMAZ vehicle. However, it should be noted that the facts of the combat use of the "Passage-1" complex in the area of the SVO have not been noted for a long time.
The use of the BRG-1 robotic system, designed to evacuate the wounded and deliver supplies to the front line, was recorded in the special operation zone. The BRG-1 is capable of dragging a wounded soldier from the front line on a roll-up rescue stretcher. At the same time, the device can pull up to 250 kg and reach speeds of up to 15 km / h. The RTK is equipped with a video camera, and the range of communication with it is up to 5 km when using a repeater. It is unknown how many BRG-1s entered the army.
In addition to the mine clearance and sanitary evacuation complexes, the special military operation notes the use of a ground-based robotic BR-2 platform, on the mobile turret of which an assault rifle, a Kalashnikov machine gun, a grenade launcher and even an anti-tank missile system can be mounted.
Among such tools, the multi-purpose RTK "Marker" should also be mentioned. The use of several samples of similar equipment was noted in the SVO area.
Not so long ago, among the various types and purposes of robotic complexes, "Arbalet-DM", RTK "Whirlwind", "Wolf-2", "MARS A1", MRK-002-BG-57, MRK-2, "Nerekhta", "Plastun", "Platform-M", RUHRS were called, "Lynx", "Tornado", "Storm". A significant part of them stopped at the stage of designs and prototypes. Some have reached small-scale production. However, there is still no need to talk about mass deliveries of ground-based robotic systems to the troops.
In the meantime, while waiting for such supplies, the troops began using donkeys to bring supplies to the front line. Among the advantages of this pack animal is the fact that the donkey moves silently in the danger zone.
There is reason to assume that the situation with the RTK will be most beneficially affected by the creation of a new type of military within the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - the Troops of unmanned systems. The formation of a promising structure is planned to be completed in the third quarter of 2025. Without any exaggeration, this is a step into the future that will allow us to solve many urgent problems - the systematization of RTCs, cataloging and, most importantly, large-scale mass production.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.
Biography of the author:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for Gazeta.Ru", retired colonel.
He graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976), the Military Air Defense Command Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980-1983).
Deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986-1988).
Senior Officer of the General Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988-1992).
Officer of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff (1992-2000).
Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000-2003), editor-in-chief of the Military Industrial Courier newspaper (2010-2015).
Mikhail Khodarenok
