Under skies swarming with enemy drones along the front line between Ukraine and Russia, driving has become the riskiest job. "Among my men, I choose the least skilled and the least useful to resupply our front lines," a Ukrainian battalion commander confided.

Short on soldiers, the Ukrainian military has, since this summer, massively deployed unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in a theater of war where enemy logistics remain a priority target, as evidenced by supply routes clogged with destroyed vehicles. Rapid advances in tactical combat drones – also called loitering munitions or FPVs – have expanded the "kill zone" to several dozen kilometers behind enemy lines.

The advantage of UGVs, beyond saving a driver's life, is their stealth, thanks to their small size and electric motors. As the arsenal has evolved rapidly over the past three and a half years, can ground robots have a real impact on the course of events?

Complex systems

"If we develop UGVs faster than the enemy, we can regain the initiative in the war like we did in the first six months of 2023, when we systematically destroyed Russian armored assaults with drones," said Anton, commander of a UGV company in the Roubij Brigade (he is not permitted to give his last name, like the other military personnel quoted). This tall, broad-shouldered 26 year old led a tour of the company's workshop, where about 10 UGVs were being upgraded for various missions: logistics (supplying frontline positions with food, water, ammunition and batteries), medical evacuation, mine-laying, reconnaissance and suicide attacks.

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