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Ukraine's frontline lifeline: robots deliver supplies amid Russian drone siege
Under the cover of darkness near Pokrovsk, Ukrainian soldiers unload a small, tank-like robot from a van-dubbed a "toy" in coded radio chatter-marking the latest in a high-stakes logistical shift. As Russian forces tighten their grip on supply routes into this strategic eastern hub, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) have become the primary lifeline for trapped troops, ferrying food, ammunition, and medical supplies through a 30km "kill zone" saturated with enemy drones and artillery.
The kill zone: a no-man's-land under constant surveillance
Russian forces have turned the approaches to Pokrovsk and nearby Myrnograd into a lethal gauntlet. Traditional armored convoys face near-certain destruction, while foot patrols risk exposure to relentless aerial surveillance. First-person-view (FPV) drones-operated by both sides-spot and strike anything that moves within minutes, backed by artillery, mortars, and glide bombs. "We sprint from bush to house to street," said Vitsik, a Ukrainian military doctor (a callsign), describing the cat-and-mouse game of evading drone swarms that once pinned his team under 59 minutes of nonstop explosions.
Ukraine's 5th Brigade and other units now rely on UGVs for 90% of frontline resupply, according to Ihor, head of unmanned systems for the 7th Corps. The robots, resembling miniature turretless tanks, navigate narrow paths like bicycle lanes, operated remotely from safer positions. Their low profiles and resistance to electronic jamming offer a critical edge-but not immunity. "No matter the camouflage or speed," warned a UGV operator known as Lawyer, "they will find it."
"Supplies have stabilized, but conservation remains essential. One in three robots makes it through."
Ihor, 7th Corps Unmanned Systems
Termit and the nightly delivery runs
Each mission begins in a nondescript garage. A UGV named Termit, capable of hauling 200kg, is loaded with water, ammunition, and fuel. To conserve its battery, it's driven into a van for the first leg of the journey, then rolled out near the frontline under darkness. Within seconds, an operator kilometers away takes control via radio link. The robot's cargo-often bound for drone pilots or wounded soldiers-must reach its destination before Russian drones intercept it.
Even successful runs are fraught with risk. During one evacuation attempt, Lawyer's UGV struck a landmine, crippling its tracks. A second robot sent to rescue the wounded soldier was destroyed en route. "We still don't know if he survived," Lawyer admitted. Such losses are common: only one in three UGVs completes its mission, per Ihor's estimates.
A workshop race to adapt
At a 79th Brigade workshop, engineers originally specializing in aerial drones now retrofit UGVs for combat. Upgrades include welded platforms for extra cargo, reinforced communications hardware, and fresh camouflage patterns. Yet innovations struggle to outpace Russian tactics. "They adapt faster than we can armor," one technician noted off-record.
The robots' limitations haven't dampened demand. With rotations of frontline troops stalled by the drone threat-some units remain in position for weeks or months-UGVs have become the sole viable option for sustaining morale and firepower. Kyiv has bolstered Pokrovsk's defenses with elite assault units and drone squads, but the city's encirclement remains disputed. Russian claims of a full blockade clash with Ukrainian denials, though HUR intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov conceded the situation is "extremely difficult."
The future: a war of machines
The battle for Pokrovsk may enter history as the first large-scale deployment of ground drones in combat, reshaping modern warfare's logistical backbone. For now, their role is survival. "They save lives," Ihor said. "That's the future-if we last long enough to see it."
