Ukraine deploys ground robots to replace soldiers on front lines

Ukraine is deploying military-grade ground robots to replace soldiers in high-risk front-line roles, according to a Business Insider report. These unmanned vehicles, manufactured by companies like Ratel Robotics, transport ammunition, evacuate wounded, lay mines, and launch drones near the front in eastern Ukraine. The robots resemble golf carts but have no seats or steering wheels—they are designed solely to replace human drivers in the 'death zone' where artillery, mines, and drones make delivery runs lethal. Platoon commander Andriy Kushnerov of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade said the probability of a human driver being killed is very high. However, many robots are destroyed within days of deployment, requiring constant production; one former streetlight manufacturer now builds these machines at a factory near Kyiv.