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Ukraine says it replaced human soldiers with ‘ground robots’ in over 21,000 missions for Q1

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Ukraine’s defense ministry said on Tuesday that the number of uncrewed ground vehicle missions carried out by its forces had tripled in the last five months.

These ground-based systems executed over 9,000 combat and logistics missions on the front lines in March alone, up from over 2,900 in November, the ministry said in a statement.

March’s numbers contributed to the more than 21,500 Ukrainian ground drone missions in the first quarter, the ministry added.

Uncrewed ground vehicles, or UGVs, are remotely piloted ground systems generally intended to replace human soldiers in dangerous tasks such as frontline supply drops, mine-clearing, and holding fortified positions.

They’re usually tracked or wheeled systems built to traverse difficult terrain and can serve as platforms to carry supplies, ammunition, wounded troops, or, in some cases, remotely controlled weapons.

The defense ministry said on Tuesday that the number of Ukrainian units deploying UGVs had nearly tripled since November.

“167 units of the Defense Forces used ground robots in March. For comparison, in November 2025, there were 67 such units,” the statement said.

According to the ministry, four of the top five UGV units registered in its DELTA battle management system were combat brigades known to be fighting in the eastern and northeastern fronts.

The other listed unit was the 1st Separate Medical Battalion, a unit under Ukraine’s International Legion known for pioneering the use of UGVs to evacuate wounded troops.

UGVs have become increasingly relevant as the war drags into its fifth year. Ukraine is struggling to fill its ranks with fresh troops, and small drones make frontline areas especially perilous to navigate. Russia, also hard-pressed to sustain the pace of its infantry attacks, has been deploying UGVs as well.

Ukraine signaled as early as 2024 that it expected to use more UGVs. But it was only in the last year that these systems have received more widespread recognition, with some brigades launching their own UGV-dedicated units.

Despite its rapid growth, UGV use in the war pales in comparison to that of flying drones.

In December, Ukraine’s commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said that his troops had carried out over 304,000 uncrewed aerial vehicle missions in November alone.




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A map of southern California shows the flight path of United Airlines Flight 2127 on March 2, 2026, which circled around for an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport

United 787 engine fire underscores the role of pilot actions and the dangers on the ground

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A United Airlines Boeing 787 turned around 15 minutes after takeoff from Los Angeles on Monday after smoke and alarms suggested a fire in one of its two jet engines.

United told Business Insider in a statement that there was a “possible engine fire.” It added that none of the 268 passengers and crew on board the plane were seriously injured, and that passengers were bused to the terminal and flown out on a different aircraft.

The plane was back on the ground at LAX within about 40 minutes; a replacement flight to New Jersey took off around 6:30 p.m. local time — eight hours after the originally scheduled departure, per Flightradar24.

“We are grateful to our pilots and flight attendants for their quick actions to keep our customers safe,” United said. The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident.

It’s unclear what caused the engine issue, but previous incidents at United and other carriers involved bird strikes and metal fatigue.

Pilots are trained to handle engine failures and fires and to remain calm in emergency situations. Airliners like the Boeing 787 are designed to fly safely on one engine.

Recordings from the website LiveATC.net reveal the crew initially thought the fire was out but received additional “fire indications” for the left engine despite using the extinguishers, prompting the decision to evacuate passengers.

“People will be coming out the right side, the side toward the runway; we prefer to stay right here and just get people off,” one of the pilots can be heard telling firefighters after landing.

Videos circulating on social media show the scene from inside the jet, including smoke coming from the aircraft’s left engine and people evacuating via slides and airstairs onto a taxiway.

Some commentators have pointed out that individuals leaving with their bags is dangerous during an emergency. Aviation safety leaders have long instructed passengers to abandon their carry-on items during evacuations to avoid wasting time or clogging the aisles.

“The FAA’s message to passengers is simple: If you have to evacuate, leave your bags behind and follow crew instructions,” the agency said in a statement to Business Insider. “Airlines have policies requiring passengers to leave luggage behind to ensure they can evacuate as quickly as possible. Federal aviation regulations require passengers to obey crewmembers’ safety instructions.”


Everyone survived the fiery Japan Airlines crash in January.

Everyone survived the fiery Japan Airlines crash in January 2024.

STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images



The warning has precedent: an Aeroflot plane caught fire during landing in 2019, and industry experts said people fleeing the blaze with their luggage partially contributed to the deaths of more than half of the passengers.

In 2024, a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 collided with a Coast Guard jet on the runway in Tokyo and caught fire. All 379 people on board survived; experts partially attributed this to passengers leaving their bags behind.




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