Ground Drones – Ukrainian-Russian Unmanned Vehicles Arms Race Heats Up
The war in Ukraine has seen aerial and seaborne drones increasingly dominate the battlefield now the focus has switched to the development and use of their ground-based cousins.
Ukrainian and, increasingly, Russian milbloggers are posting videos depicting the appearance of unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) drones on the battlefield following on the success shown by Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned surface vessels (USV).
The favorite subjects are so-called kamikaze versions delivering explosive charges onto a target – which means the video clip usually ends with an impressive explosion. Others carry weapons – grenade launchers, machine guns and cannon, shown firing bursts of tracer bullets at enemy positions. Other versions are intended for landmine clearance, as logistic vehicles to deliver supplies to troops in contact or even used for medevac.