Ukraine and Its Invisible Robot Army: Zombies on the Frontline
Imagine a war where soldiers are not just humans but an army of zombie-robots! Ukraine is racing against time and technology, deploying unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to fight against Russian forces that send 8 to 9 thousand new troops to the battlefield every month.
The Laboratory of Future Warfare On the outskirts of Kyiv, in a brutalist complex overgrown with weeds and buried in trash, lies an experimental center for training military robots. Here, an elite Ukrainian brigade tests UGVs that could soon take over part of the burden from soldiers’ shoulders. This spring, Ukraine announced plans to deploy 15 ground robots, with around 40 private companies developing various models — from logistics robots transporting fuel and evacuating wounded, to combat platforms equipped with grenade launchers and machine guns.
Zombies on the Frontline? One manufacturer says, “We don’t have enough people to stop the Russian meat waves, so we’ll send our zombies against theirs.” These robots already perform tasks like delivering tons of equipment, evacuating wounded from the front line, and even shooting down enemy drones hundreds of meters away thanks to artificial intelligence.
Technological Challenges and the Human Factor While robots are already present, wider deployment awaits solutions to communication problems. The Starlink satellite network allows control of robots from remote command centers, but signals can be lost in complex terrain or under tree canopies. Also, there is a severe shortage of trained operators — few remain alive after missions.
Russia and Automation The Kremlin sends an additional 8 to 9 thousand troops to the front every month but does not feel the same pressure to automate as Ukraine does. However, Ukrainian experts admit that the Russian industry could quickly standardize and mass-produce robots if Ukrainian models prove successful, similar to what happened with FPV drones.
Conclusion: Revolution or Illusion? If Ukraine manages to replace even 1% of its combat workforce with robots, it will be a huge success. But infantry won’t be replaced anytime soon — robots are here to assist, not replace humans. Still, this “invisible zombie army” is already changing the rules of the game on the battlefield.
What do you think? Are robots the future of warfare or just an expensive tech experiment? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s for and who’s against this robotic invasion!
