-
A ground robot was attacked by a Russian drone while evacuating injured Ukrainian soldiers.
-
His battalion said the robot was damaged but the soldier was protected and there were no new injuries.
-
Ukraine is increasingly using robots, but they are also targets and could put injured troops at greater risk.
New video footage shows a ground robot transporting a wounded Ukrainian soldier being hit by a Russian drone.
Rescue Soldiers is an example of how Ukraine is using its growing fleet of ground robots to deliver supplies, plant and clear mines, and fire and blow up Russian targets. But it’s a risky move that could put soldiers in greater danger.
Ukraine’s 1st Independent Medical Battalion shared the video on Monday, saying the soldier was safely rescued and the robot protected him from any additional harm during the three-hour and 25-minute mission.
They were said to be rescuing a person who was injured when a drone fell and was unable to walk on his own. Reaching him meant traveling through areas where Russia had strong influence. The planned return trip is 36 miles.
The battalion said it decided to send in a robot that would be remotely controlled by soldiers who could remain in a safer location. This is when Ukraine usually uses them: places where humans cannot go.
The battalion said the robot detected a Russian drone shortly after the injured soldier was loaded on board. The team decided to continue moving at maximum speed, but the drone hit the robot on its second try, two and a half miles short of its journey.
The battalion said the soldier did not suffer any new injuries in the attack because he was contained in the robot’s armored cabin, but the robot was damaged.
Reports say he was evacuated by another nearby Ukrainian unit and received the treatment he needed. The robot was also recovered. Business Insider was unable to independently verify the incident.
Video shows a robot moving through a rural area at night before stopping and soldiers helping wounded comrades aboard and closing the lid to create a protected space. The robot then continued driving, but aerial footage showed an explosion above the robot.
The video then shows the injured soldier speaking after the mission, as well as footage of the damaged robot. His treatment continues, the battalion said.
The robots used for evacuations in Ukraine vary in sophistication and price.Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Many companies are developing Ukraine’s robot fleet, and innovation is happening so fast that soldiers are even updating them on the battlefield.
However, they are at risk, especially if they don’t have a cage like the one in this attack. Robots are the targets of Russia’s massive surveillance drones.
Oleksandr Yabchanka, head of robotics systems at Ukraine’s Leonardo Wolf Battalion, previously told Business Insider that using robots actually puts soldiers at greater risk by taking them away from places where they might otherwise be hiding or with their comrades.
They use humans for evacuations when possible and robots as a last resort.
Robots carry out less than 1% of Ukrainian drone missions, but their use is growing. The West is testing and prototyping based on what Ukraine has learned.
Read the original article on Business Insider