The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported on Tuesday that as ground-based unmanned systems become increasingly common on the battlefield, the total number of missions carried out by unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) exceeded 21,000 in the first quarter of this year.
Data indicates that in March alone, Ukrainian forces conducted over 9,000 combat or logistics missions involving UGVs. This represents a significant threefold increase compared to the 2,900 missions recorded last November.
The Role of Unmanned Systems on the Battlefield
Ground drones are primarily used to replace human soldiers in high-risk tasks, including front-line supply delivery, demining, and defensive operations. These vehicles, typically featuring tracked or wheeled designs, are capable of navigating complex terrain and serve as platforms for transporting supplies, ammunition, wounded personnel, or remote-controlled weapon systems.
The Ministry of Defense noted a rapid rise in the number of units deploying UGVs, growing from 67 in November to 167 by March. Within the Ukrainian military's 'DELTA' battlefield management system, four of the top five units utilizing ground drones are combat brigades currently engaged on the eastern and northeastern front lines.
The other unit on the list is the 1st Separate Medical Battalion, which has taken the lead in using UGVs for casualty evacuation.
As the conflict enters its third year, Ukraine faces pressure to replenish its ranks, while the prevalence of small drones has made front-line areas increasingly difficult to traverse. In response, the Ukrainian military is accelerating the integration of unmanned systems into its operational framework. This trend is not unique to Ukraine; Russian forces have also ramped up their deployment of ground-based unmanned systems recently.
Despite the rapid growth in the scale of UGV usage, the frequency remains far lower than that of aerial drones. According to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who spoke last December, Ukrainian forces conducted over 304,000 aerial drone missions in the month of November alone.