UkraineAug 21, 20263 mins read

Ukraine Is Showing NATO Troops What Ground Robots Can—and Can’t—Do in War

Ukrainian troops training through Norway-led Operation Legio are sharing battlefield lessons on uncrewed ground vehicles, including how they attack, resupply, evacuate wounded soldiers, and struggle with terrain.

Business Insider

Ukraine is teaching NATO troops how ground robots work in war — and where they don't

Ukraine is using a fleet of robots to attack Russia and protect its soldiers, and its troops are telling their Western trainers how they use them on the battlefield.

A Two-Way Training Model in Poland

Camouflaged operator controls an armed unmanned ground vehicle on a muddy training field near large dirt mounds. — Image credits:Serhii Mykhalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Ukrainian troops are receiving training on NATO soil through Operation Legio, a Norway-led multinational effort based at Camp Jomsborg in Poland. The program is not just Western trainers teaching Ukrainian soldiers; Ukrainian forces are also sharing battle-tested tactics from the war. Brigadier Atle Molde, who oversees Task Force Legio, told Business Insider that on ground robots, Ukrainians “are teaching us.”

What Ukraine Uses Ground Robots For

Camouflaged military personnel walk along a dirt track toward an unmanned ground vehicle on a rural hillside. — Image credits:Yevhen Titov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Ukraine operates a growing fleet of uncrewed ground vehicles that attack Russian positions, evacuate wounded soldiers, carry heavy gear, and mine positions. These systems are becoming more important as front-line risks grow and supply lines face constant drone threats. Ukraine’s defense ministry said in late July that it had contracted more than 22,000 ground robots since the start of the year, double the number for all of last year.

The Limits: Terrain, Visibility, and Context

Two wheeled unmanned ground vehicles sit on a muddy forest road under an overcast sky. — Image credits:Synne Nilsson / Forsvaret

The lessons are not all about success. Molde said ground robots can have “severe limitations when it comes to terrain,” because they hug the ground and are vulnerable to obstacles in ways aerial drones are not. A Ukrainian soldier previously told Business Insider that tall grass can limit robot cameras, restricting intelligence gathering. Norway is using these exchanges to judge when UGVs are useful—and when they are not.

The Key Takeaway for Western Militaries

Camouflaged operator uses a handheld controller while seated on a green off-road vehicle in a sunflower field. — Image credits:Genya SAVILOV / AFP via Getty Images

Norway and other partners are studying Ukraine’s battlefield innovations without assuming every tactic should be copied. Molde said NATO and Russia would likely be a “completely different” conflict, in part because NATO has much stronger air forces than Ukraine. Maj. John, the S3 Operations Officer, said Western militaries must be specific about what to implement and what belongs only to Ukraine’s context. The goal is to learn from this war without simply preparing for the last one.