Summary

Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi is showcasing how ground robots are reshaping offensive warfare. In the opening stages of this complex operation, Ukrainian forces used uncrewed ground vehicles, or UGVs, as distractions. The robots drew Russian attention and exposed surveillance systems and firing positions while assault troops slipped through and seized key territory. Robots have also conducted airborne assaults, delivered explosives, attacked enemy command centers, and supported infantry operations amid this major counteroffensive in eastern Ukraine. NC13, a strike UGV unit within the Third Assault Brigade of the Third Army Corps, has played a leading role in Vivaldi. Mykola Zinkevych, the unit's commander, told Business Insider that his forces have used robots across a wide range of missions to inflict defeats on the Russians. Over the course of the operation, the robots evolved from diversions that enabled Ukrainian advances into armed strike platforms targeting Russian command posts, drone operators, and large troop concentrations in the rear. Zinkevych, who goes by the call sign "Makar" and spoke through a translator, said these efforts disrupted Russian command and control and logistics, making it harder to bring in more soldiers and limiting Moscow's ability to conduct operations. Robots also carried out what the commander described as full-scale robotic assault operations, independently and in support of Ukrainian infantrymen. Most notably, NC13 used heavy bomber drones to carry armed robots over the front lines and drop them in enemy territory, surprising Russian troops and creating additional pressure, Zinkevych said. He added that it also affected their morale. Brig. Gen. Andrii Biletskyi, commander of Ukraine's Third Army Corps, revealed the use of this tactic in late September and said that his forces had become the "first in the world" to operationally air-drop robots from drones in combat. Want more Business Insider in your news feed? Add BI in Google so our reporting is easier to find when you’re searching for what matters. Beyond explosive-laden robots, NC13 also deployed robots armed with grenade launchers, Zinkevych said, adding that the unit was the first to do so in combat. He said the Russians apparently mistook the UGVs for an infantry assault, which led to confusion and disorientation. These innovative tactics come amid broader efforts by Kyiv's forces to integrate ground robots into combat operations. Ukrainian officials have said they want machines to replace humans in dangerous front-line missions, particularly in logistics and casualty evacuation roles. Vivaldi, which Ukraine launched over the summer to halt Russian advances in the northern part of the Donetsk region, has already seen Kyiv retake control of dozens of square miles of territory, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank. Zinkevych attributed Vivaldi's success in part to strike robots, but he also credited Biletskyi's planning and coordination. Conventional weaponry, specifically artillery, has played a key role, too, according to Western analysts and the Ukrainian military. The Third Army Corps said last week that Ukrainian artillery fire has prevented Moscow from bringing up reserve forces, equipment, and ammunition to regain positions it had lost. Drones assessed damage and eliminated remaining targets. Artillery was responsible for a larger share of casualties in the war's early stages, but drones are now the biggest killer. ISW analysts wrote in an October 9 battlefield assessment that artillery remains relevant even in a drone-dominated fight.