A Ukrainian Ardal ground robotic vehicle traveled 17 kilometers under mortar fire to rescue three wounded soldiers who had been surrounded by Russian forces for a month, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on April 2.
The operation involved more than 50 people, including developers from the Ukrainian company BUREVII and troops from Ukraine’s 92nd and 154th brigades.
Fedorov described the mission as extremely difficult, taking place in one of the most intense combat zones.
The Ardal robot had to evade Russian drones and artillery while entering the “gray zone” where Ukrainian troops were located.
It successfully evacuated the wounded to a hospital and remained undamaged.
On March 31, Gleb Kanevsky, head of the Defense Ministry’s procurement department, announced plans to deploy 15,000 robotic systems to the front in 2025.