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Video length: 3 min
War in Ukraine: robots on the battlefield
Global military budgets jumped by nearly 7% in 2023. Drones have become essential, like robots, used in particular on the Ukrainian front.
(France 2)
Global military budgets jumped by nearly 7% in 2023. Drones have become essential, like robots, used in particular on the Ukrainian front.
Vehicles without a driver or shooter, which advance discreetly and quickly to lay mines or shoot enemy soldiers. In Ukraine, robots have appeared on the front. The meeting with the France Télévisions team is set in a forest in the east of the country. Direction a secret location, the command post run by August, of brigade 63. Images filmed by drones, but also by robots, appear on the screens. For several months, soldiers have been attacking the Russians here with autonomous vehicles.
Lay mines as close as possible to enemy trenches
One of the latest models is a miniature robot, which allows mines to be laid as close as possible to enemy trenches. “The principle is simple: the latch that holds the mine opens then the robot moves forward to drop the mine on the ground”explains the commander. “If a soldier lays a mine less than 100 m from enemy positions, death is assured. While this robot is discreet when it rolls, it is hidden by grass”, he adds. As these robots are still few in number, Ukraine has launched a call for projects. Everywhere, companies and volunteers are creating new prototypes.
Among our sources:
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri)
Adobe Acrobat
Non-exhaustive list
