Ukraine’s 13th National Guard Brigade Khartia has announced it conducted its first fully robotic operation against Russian forces on the Kharkiv front at the beginning of December.
As the war evolves, the implementation of robotic and AI systems will be crucial for achieving strategic objectives on the battlefield. Ukrainian forces have increasingly utilized unmanned aerial vehicles and AI-powered drones and systems for improved reconnaissance, target acquisition, and precision strikes.
According to the brigade, unprecedented numbers of robotic and unmanned systems were deployed on the battlefield for the first time during the fully robotic operation.
It involved numerous ground-based robotic systems — including drones for mining and demining, kamikaze drones, and mobile turrets — as well as various types of UAVs, such as heavy multirotor “bombers,” surveillance drones, and FPV drones.
“Our goal was to save soldiers’ lives by replacing them on the battlefield with robotic or unmanned systems wherever possible. It required detailed planning, constant pursuit of new engineering solutions, and fostering a culture of innovation within the brigade,” said Colonel Maksym Holubok, Chief of Staff of the Khartia brigade.
Volodymyr Dehtiariov, head of the brigade’s public relations service, reported that the Russians perceived the operation as a full-scale offensive, according to Hromadske.
He emphasized that one objective was to understand Russia’s response to such actions, which, he says, was successfully achieved.
Additionally, since early December, “Khartia” forces managed to advance on their sector of the front, eliminating 140-150 Russian soldiers.
“Of course, part of that figure includes the wounded. But, knowing how poorly organized Russian evacuation is, even the wounded can be counted as irrecoverable losses,” said Dehtiariov.
He described the robotic operation as unprecedented, at least in the Kharkiv sector.
“It seems such operation has happened for the first time — with dozens of ground-based, aerial drones, and robotic systems operating simultaneously, all coordinated from a conditional second line by dispersed crews,” explained Dehtiariov.
He noted that coordination was a critical task, requiring meticulous frequency management and planning to achieve their objectives. Its other goal was to create conditions for further advancement of the brigade’s units, which was successfully accomplished.
The operation relied on continuous aerial surveillance, with reconnaissance drones maintaining constant observation.
“We wouldn’t have risked using soldiers directly for such an operation because losses would have been guaranteed,” added Dehtiariov.
Earlier, Colonel Vadym Sukharievskyi, the Commander of the Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems Unit, revealed that Ukraine possesses laser weapons, making it the fifth country to achieve such capabilities.
The system, named “Tryzub” or “Trident,” allows the country’s armed forces to destroy Russian targets, including aircraft, at distances exceeding two kilometers.
Read also:
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- Russia occupies four more settlements in Donetsk Oblast – Deep State
- Russian Forces capture Novoselydivka and Petrivka in Donetsk Oblast, advance in Kharkiv – Deep State
