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.
