Ukraine's secret army: Robots poised to redefine the battlefield
About 250 defence sector start-ups across Ukraine are focusing on developing robots for military operations. They are being created in discreet locations such as basements or abandoned warehouses. Ukraine's ambitious goal is to produce one million flying machines annually.
Faced with a personnel shortage, Ukraine is striving to gain a strategic edge over Russia by establishing hundreds of secret workshops in abandoned warehouses and basements. These hidden locations produce an army of robots that could play a significant role in its military strategy.
According to the British daily "The Telegraph", Ukraine plans to use robots to eliminate Russian soldiers and rescue its injured soldiers and civilians more effectively.
About 250 defence sector start-ups across Ukraine are working on creating combat machines in secret locations that often resemble countryside car workshops. Employees of a start-up led by entrepreneur Andriy Denysenko can assemble an unmanned ground vehicle named Odyssey in just four days.
The main advantage of this vehicle is its cost. It amounts to 35 thousand dollars (32 thousand euros), about 10 per cent of the cost of an imported model. Odyssey, which is about the size of a car, recently performed an impressive manoeuvre, spinning around its own axis and lifting off the ground. This prototype currently serves as a rescue and supply platform, but its design allows further adaptation.
Ukraine bets on robots on the battlefield
Engineers creating robots often seek inspiration from articles in defence magazines and online videos. These sources of knowledge allow them to develop their projects more efficiently and cost-effectively.
"We are fighting a huge country, and they don't have any resource limits. We understand that we cannot spend a lot of human lives," Denysenko, who heads the defence start-up UkrPrototype, told "The Telegraph".
According to the government website dedicated to fundraising for the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces, the future of such robots includes broad applications. They can serve as logistical devices, mine layers, and even robots programmed for self-destruction in critical situations.
Robots to help on the battlefield
Deputy Prime Minister for Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, encourages citizens to actively use free online courses and to assemble drones at home. His ambitious goal is for Ukrainians to produce a million such flying machines annually.
"We will do everything to make unmanned technologies develop even faster. (Russia’s) murderers use their soldiers as cannon fodder, while we lose our best people," Fedorov wrote on social media.
According to information provided by "The Telegraph," the first robot models are already proving their effectiveness on the battlefield, demonstrating their usefulness and efficiency in practical conditions.
Denysenko's company is currently developing innovative projects, including a motorised exoskeleton to increase soldiers' strength. The project also includes specialised transport vehicles that will facilitate the transport of military equipment and support soldiers in overcoming elevations and difficult terrain.
