KYIV: Ukraine will need tens of thousands of unmanned robotic ground vehicles next year to deliver ammunition and supplies to infantry in the trenches and evacuate wounded soldiers, a senior government minister told Reuters.
Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the minivans are an example of how technology is changing trench warfare in Ukraine. , will prevent soldiers from operating in areas close to the frontline where Russian artillery and drones abound. “This year we bought several thousand ground platforms, and next year, I believe we need tens of thousands,” said the minister, who spent most of the war. has overseen the procurement of drones, said in an interview.
The vehicles are already being used along the front and in Russia’s Kursk region, where Kiev’s troops built an enclave in an August offensive, he said. He added that there are several training centers in Ukraine to teach their use.
The use of military technology has evolved rapidly, even as the war closes in on a bloody, furious battle in which Russia has made rapid gains in the recent 33 months since the 2022 invasion. The battle has not changed much.
Federov, whose official remit is digital affairs, has played a prominent role in supporting the development of military technology through a government-backed platform to foster private sector innovation. As of this month, he no longer oversees the procurement of drones.
Ukraine has focused heavily on increasing production and improving the capabilities of long-range drones for deep strikes against Russia, narrowing the gulf in capabilities with its adversary.