Ukraine mounted its first robot-only assault on a Russian position pushing back military forces despite being heavily outnumbered.

Kyiv’s forces used dozens of remote-controlled vehicles mounted with machine guns as well as unmanned kamikaze drones in the raid near the Ukrainian-held town of Lyptsi, the Ukrainian military said.

The assault also used aerial surveillance and mine-laying drones in supporting roles.

Volodymyr Dehtiarov, a representative for Ukraine’s Khartiia Brigade, said: “We are talking about dozens of units of robotic and unmanned equipment simultaneously on a small section of the front.” 

With Kyiv struggling to overcome crippling manpower shortages, its armed forces have often placed faith in experimental armed robots in an attempt to turn the tide of war.

In some areas of the battlefield, Russia has a three-to-one advantage in manpower.

Ukraine is known to have deployed vehicles with robotic machine guns, mine layers and electronic warfare systems which minimise human involvement on the battlefield.

But the assault by the 13th National Guard Brigade is the first example of a robot-only combined-arms manoeuvre.

The brigade is responsible for defending a five-mile stretch of the frontline near Hlyboke, a Russian-held town in the Kharkiv region, about five miles south of the border.

Russia has four regiments attempting to advance in the area, meaning Ukraine is countering around 6,000 troops with just 2,000 men.