Ukraine builds “small tanks” for robots to hit infiltration teams

Ukraine’s “small – Ukraine’s Frontline Robotics is turning its Buria autonomous remote weapon station—previously used from hidden fixed positions—into a mobile “small tank” by mounting it on ground robots. The shift comes as Russian infiltration teams exploit drones-filled “kill

In the forests near the front. two operators can stay 20. 40. or 50 kilometers away while a weapon platform creeps toward enemy lines. The pitch from Frontline Robotics is straightforward: take what used to be a hidden. fixed turret and make it mobile—so it can hunt small Russian infiltration groups with less risk to Ukrainian troops.

The company’s Buria system is an autonomous remote weapon station that can be placed in a fixed position on a tripod and fire grenades or a machine gun. Mykyta Rozhkov. Frontline Robotics’ chief business development officer. described it as “basically a metal robotic arm for a grenade launcher” or another weapon.

At the start of last year. Buria’s main use was placing it in a hidden position where it could fire on the enemy and blunt Russian attacks. But Rozhkov said the battlefield has changed—and so has how the system is deployed. Now. the weapons station is being used on ground robots “so it can be mobile and be used as a small tank.”.

In Rozhkov’s description, the method is built around distance and survivability. “Right now we put our robotic arm on the robotic vehicle and then the two operators. 20. 40. 50 kilometers out of the zone. are driving it through the forest lines and trying to stop these small groups penetrating even further into our defense. ” he said.

For Ukraine, the need is urgent because infiltration teams remain a key tactic used by Russia. Small groups of soldiers creep across the front lines to avoid being spotted by drones. aiming to take Ukrainian positions or disrupt Ukraine’s defenses. With the front lines so saturated with drones—and so dangerous—officials describe a “kill zone” around them. That environment makes large troop movements harder and helps keep small infiltration teams at the center of Russia’s advance.

The appeal of armed robots in this setting is also economic and practical. Tanks and armored vehicles have struggled for both Ukraine and Russia, in part because they can be spotted by drones. It is one reason Ukraine wants to use ground robots and drones: if they are destroyed. they are cheaper and faster to replace than armored vehicles. and no human lives are lost. Ground robots are already being used to evacuate wounded soldiers. to carry supplies. to lay and to remove mines. and to attack.

Frontline Robotics is moving quickly on the hardware itself, not just the tactics. The company makes small changes to its products up to 20 times a month and typically makes major updates every six months. relying on regular input from soldiers. Rozhkov said, “We don’t even have to ask them for the feedback. It goes directly 24/7 into our inbox.”.

Ukraine’s approach is now drawing attention from NATO countries. Rozhkov described Ukrainian manufacturers as having an “unfair advantage” because of their proximity to the battlefield and its fighters.

The argument for armed mobility also shows up inside Ukraine’s units. Oleksandr Klymenko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images appeared in the reporting context alongside the growing role of robots with weapons. Oleksandr Yabchanka. the head of the robotic systems for Ukraine’s Da Vinci Wolves Battalion. previously told Business Insider that robots equipped with weapons are valued because they can do things that can’t be done “even by the bravest infantry people.”.

Yabchanka emphasized a specific advantage: automatic weapon systems that can move. He said armed robots are especially valuable when they can enter Russian trenches. close in on enemy soldiers. and keep operating under heavy fire. Because Russian troops often shoot back at the source of an attack. a robot that can change positions without exposing Ukrainian soldiers is a major advantage.

Other Ukrainian defense companies are pursuing similar goals. Armed robots—built with grenade launchers and machine guns—allow soldiers to attack from a distance. DevDroid equips ground robots with the ability to launch grenades and fire machine guns because it can “save people’s lives. ” its director of R&D. Oleg Fedoryshyn. told Business Insider. His point was that soldiers can use powerful weapons without needing to get close to the target or carry the weapons themselves.

The technology is still relatively new on Ukraine’s battlefields, but its use is growing fast. Ukraine’s defense minister said earlier this month that the military had carried out more than 50. 000 logistics and evacuation missions with the help of ground robots since the start of the year. That was a sharp rise from the 2. 000 missions officials had said the robots carried out in the six months leading up to December.

The pace is reflected not only in numbers, but in battlefield firsts. The reporting notes that Ukraine has recently captured a Russian position for the first time with just aerial drones and ground robots, without using any infantry. Robots have also been able to get Russian soldiers to surrender.

In the background of all this hardware and experimentation is a clear operational aim: use unmanned systems—drones and robots—so Ukrainian troops can stay safer and farther back from the fighting. Rozhkov said the aim is to defend areas “without humans. ” and added. “And this is really our important mission in order to keep our soldiers safe.”.

Ukraine Frontline Robotics Buria ground robots remote weapon station grenade launcher machine gun Mykyta Rozhkov Russian infiltration teams drones kill zone DevDroid Oleg Fedoryshyn Da Vinci Wolves Battalion Oleksandr Yabchanka NATO unmanned systems logistics missions evacuation missions