Ukrainian forces used an amphibious ground robot to carry supplies 25 miles across land and water to front-line positions, the state-backed innovation platform Brave1 said in a statement shared with Business Insider.
Soldiers in the 93rd Mechanized Brigade operated the robot, a domestically produced model called Triton, which delivered ammunition and provisions across varied terrain. It was not clear when or where the operation took place.
The Triton moved on land like a conventional uncrewed ground vehicle, then switched to swimming mode within seconds when it reached water, Brave1 said. “A single asset thereby gains broader operational versatility across complex terrain,” it said.
“Water obstacles along the front line present a critical challenge for military logistics,” Brave1 said. “Rivers, canals, and marshlands can severely impede or completely sever supply routes for conventional UGVs, while aerial resupply is not always viable.”
Brave1 said the robot was developed over months in close coordination with the soldiers, taking account of their requirements and front-line terrain.
Ground robots have become a vital part of Ukrainian logistics this year as officials seek to replace soldiers with machines wherever possible in dangerous front-line missions, according to Business Insider, matching a division of labour Ukrainian commanders have described.
Ukrainian defence companies have pursued amphibious battlefield robots for some time. Ratel Robotics told Business Insider in May that it was designing UGVs for amphibious casualty evacuation, logistics and assault missions.
In June, Brave1 opened a track for amphibious robots within its grant programme, with support from Ukraine’s defence ministry.
The mission comes as robots take on unconventional battlefield roles. Earlier this month, Ukraine’s Third Army Corps said it used heavy bomber drones to air-drop robots several miles behind Russian positions in a surprise assault during Operation Vivaldi, an offensive in the east in which Kyiv says it has retaken dozens of square miles.