Combat robots in warfare: Ukrainian commander shares his experience  

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are employing more ground robotic platforms in combat. They employ technologies like THeMIS robotic platforms, which are used to move weapons and supplies, evacuate injured soldiers, and other tasks, in addition to small robots for area mining. Defense Express reports that the Roboneers company's ShaBlya remote weapon station and the Ironclad battle robot are being used by the Ukrainian military.

Colonel Volodymyr Silenko, the commander of the 30th Prince Konstanty Ostrogski Mechanised Brigade, explained more about the systems and how they are used in an interview with Army TV.

He worked practically with a variety of ground robotic systems. According to him, these systems assisted in the evacuation of injured soldiers. However, he also spoke about his experience working with the 5th Separate Assault Brigade, which targeted Russian soldiers using a Browning M2 machine gun positioned on a base platform.

"In general, these are interesting systems, because we don't endanger our personnel as much," Silenko said. According to him, the number of such systems in the army will be increased and improved. In particular, he also said about the possibility of increasing the range of such weapons.

Read also Ukrainian Armed Forces test Ironclad unmanned robot on frontline

But one should not undervalue Russia's weapons.

"Another point is how the enemy will be able to defeat all this with its own forces and means. They can use FPV drones, anti-tank weapons, and so on," Colonel Silenko said.

"One person controls drone, that 'carries' one or even two wounded, instead of involving two, three, or even four people for each wounded person,"  says Silenko, regarding the benefits of utilizing robotic platforms to evacuate injured troops,

These platforms do, of course, have drawbacks. Especially in the summer, vegetation and herbs could make it harder for the drone to see, and these kinds of platforms don't always work well in difficult terrain. Furthermore, this kind of platform might work well in one direction but not another.