No Sleep, No Fear: Ukraine’s Unmanned War Machines Are Taking On Russian Troops

Kyiv: Ukraine's war against Russia is now being fought less with soldiers in the field and more with machines. The commanders who were once at the forefront of blood-soaked battles are now carrying out attacks sitting hundreds of kilometers away from the frontline, watching livestream on the screen. CNN reports that in each operation several explosive-laden robots are sent to Russian bases. Not a single Ukrainian soldier steps on the ground.

How do robotic attacks happen?

Reconnaissance drones fly in the sky above. On the ground below, robotic vehicles loaded with bombs move forward. Operators sitting in the control center operate them remotely. As soon as the attack is completed, these machines return or blow themselves up. According to Ukrainian soldiers, captured Russian soldiers call these robot bombs "silent death". They move so silently that Russian soldiers hear the sound only when they come 10 meters closer. By then they would have reached the blast zone.

Why did Ukraine have to resort to machines?

After more than 4 years of war, Ukraine has a severe shortage of soldiers. It is also not guaranteed whether help from western countries will continue or not. Under this compulsion, Kiev increased its focus on the unmanned system. Drones, robotic vehicles and remote control weapons are now a big part of warfare. In April, President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that for the first time the Ukrainian army had captured Russian positions only with robots and drones. Since the beginning of this year, 22,000 missions have been carried out using only machines.

What do the commanders say?

Deputy Commander 'Bar' has previously fought door-to-door battles in Donbass. He says, "At that time I could not have even imagined that this would happen. If these machines had existed then, many of my friends would have been alive today." He believes that the war has now changed. "Earlier the war was about masculinity. Your training and discipline mattered. Now technology decides everything. There is no way back."

What is Ukraine's target?

Ukrainian officers claim that they aim to kill about 35,000 Russian soldiers every month. This target has also been achieved this year. The aim is to put pressure on the Kremlin. So that Russia has to forcibly recruit from its cities and middle class. According to British intelligence agency GCHQ, about 5 lakh Russian soldiers have been killed so far.

How far has the use of robots in war reached?

What seemed like a new thing in war a few years ago has now become an everyday thing. Robots now evacuate injured soldiers. Delivering ration and water to the frontline. They also attack. This is a sign of how rapidly the way of fighting is changing in Europe's biggest war. This is a compulsion for Ukraine, but this technology has kept it standing in front of the big Russian army.