Ground robots on Ukraine’s frontlines are not just evacuating wounded soldiers, they are now saving their own kind.
A video released by the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade showed tracked robots retrieving damaged Vampire drones and other robotic platforms from the battlefield.
Equipped with a pitchfork and net, the rescue platforms pulled their “wounded comrades” out of danger even while also taking fire.
By retrieving broken robots, Ukraine’s forces can salvage critical components that might otherwise be left abandoned or captured by the enemy.
Motors, electronics, and other key parts can be repurposed to repair other platforms, extending the life of expensive equipment and keeping autonomous systems in the fight.
Autonomous Allies
Ukraine is increasingly relying on robots to recover critical battlefield assets and protect both soldiers and civilians.
During Operation Vohnyk last November, an unmanned ground vehicle successfully rescued a wounded soldier 34 kilometers (21 miles) from its station. It reportedly survived four strike attempts from a Russian kamikaze drone.
In another operation, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine deployed a multi-purpose robot to secure a high-rise building after a Russian drone crash, clearing the place of unexploded warheads and cluster submunitions.
“All of these explosive items were a critical threat to the residents of the apartment complex as the cassette elements are equipped with self-liquidators and could explode at any time,” the service stated in a social media post.
