Ukraine’s covert robotics push aims to reshape the battlefield

Approximately 250 defence 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.

Facing human shortages, Ukraine is attempting to gain a strategic advantage over Russia by creating hundreds of secret workshops in abandoned warehouses and basements. These hidden locations serve to produce an army of robots, which could have significant importance in its military strategy.

According to the British newspaper "The Telegraph," Ukraine plans to use robots to eliminate Russian soldiers and more effectively rescue its wounded soldiers and civilians.

Approximately 250 defence start-ups across Ukraine are working on creating combat machines in secret locations that often resemble rural car workshops. The start-up's employees, led by entrepreneur Andriy Denysenko, can assemble an uncrewed ground vehicle called Odyssey in just four days.

The most important advantage of this vehicle is its price. It stands at $35,000 (CAD 48,000), which is about 10% of the cost of an imported model. Odyssey, the size of a car, recently performed an impressive manoeuvre, rotating around its axis and taking off into the air. This prototype currently functions as a rescue and supply platform, but its design allows for further adaptation.

Engineers working on creating robots often seek inspiration from articles in defence magazines and films available online. Thanks to these sources of knowledge, they can 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 leads the defence start-up UkrPrototyp, told "The Telegraph."

According to the government website dedicated to fundraising for the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces, the future of such robots includes a wide range of applications. They can serve as logistics devices, mine layers, and even robots programmed for self-destruction in critical situations.

The Vice Prime Minister for Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, encourages citizens to actively use free online courses and assemble drones at home. His ambitious goal is for Ukrainians to produce one 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 motorized exoskeleton designed to enhance soldiers' strength. The project also includes specialized transport vehicles that will facilitate the transport of military equipment and assist soldiers in overcoming hills and difficult terrain.