Ukraine to Deploy Robotic Dog Units on Frontline

Ukraine's military is set to deploy robotic dog units to the frontline against Russian forces, aiming to enhance battlefield operations while reducing risks to personnel, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced.

The quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) will be equipped with mounted weapons and integrated into combat brigades. "Ukraine is increasing the production of these systems and deploying full-fledged robotic units as part of the armed forces on the frontline," Umerov said. He emphasized that incorporating such technologies would help protect soldiers while increasing combat effectiveness.

Robotic ground vehicles are expected to take on multiple battlefield roles, including offensive and defensive operations, logistics support, casualty evacuation, and mine clearance. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces have used UGVs in various capacities, with most current systems being remotely operated. Future models may feature greater levels of autonomy, potentially reducing the need for direct human control.

Umerov highlighted that Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is launching a project to scale up the use of unmanned ground systems based on testing conducted since mid-2024.

Ukraine has already relied on drones and uncrewed systems in the conflict. The Unmanned Strike Aviation Brigade (USAB) and the covert Group 13 have been active in targeting Russian forces. USAB has released footage showing the interception of a Russian fiber-optic drone using newly developed mobile radar systems. Meanwhile, Group 13 has launched maritime drone attacks against Russia’s Black Sea fleet using uncrewed one-way attack vessels.