How a Ukrainian army robot held the front line for 45 days. Operation of the fighting machine, made possible by carefully worked out logistics

The servicemen of the 3rd Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to hold key positions on the front for 45 days using only a ground combat robot, without direct human presence in the trenches. The robotic platform repelled attempts to advance by Russian troops, while the soldiers remained at a distance, protected from enemy fire, Ukrainian media reports.

The battle robot Droid TW 12.7/PHOTO:X

It is the Droid TW 12.7 tracked ground robotic complex, equipped with the M2 Browning .50 caliber heavy machine gun. A representative of the 3rd Assault Brigade spoke to Business Insider about this mission in early 2026, after the first images of the robot in action appeared in December 2025.

The platform was operated by the company NC-13. In a roughly 30-second video clip, the military shows the robot advancing across the field and opening fire on Russian positions. The key concept of the mission, the military explained, was simple: there should be no people in the positions. “Robots don't bleed,” they say.

The tactic behind the 45 days

The commander of the NC-13 company, Mykola “Makar” Zinkevici, explained that, throughout the mission, only the robot was on the positions, precisely to minimize the risks for the soldiers. The 45 days did not mean stationary in one point, but rotations in several positions, depending on the requests of the command, to block possible enemy advances.

The almost continuous operation of the robot was made possible by a carefully developed logistics:

– every two days, Droid TW 12.7 was subjected to a technical review;

– the operators were approximately four kilometers from the front line;

– initially, the maintenance lasted four hours, but later it was reduced to two;

-during this interval, the battery was recharged and the ammunition replenished.

The robot has an autonomy of about 24 kilometers and is able to choose its own route with the help of artificial intelligence elements. In addition, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine authorized the use of versions of the platform equipped with Mk-19 and AGL-53 40 mm grenade launchers.

Zinkevici emphasizes that the direction of the development of robotic systems is a strategic one, they will be used both in defensive missions and in assault operations. Journalists from Business Insider note, however, that the full effectiveness of the platform on the battlefield is still difficult to assess.

“How autonomously it can move around the battlefield and how effectively it can actually participate in combat remains, for now, an open question.”the analysis shows.

What is Droid TW 12.7

Droid TW 12.7 is a terrestrial robotic complex developed by the Ukrainian company Devdroid. According to the manufacturer, it is a reconnaissance and strike platform equipped with a 12.7 mm turret, controlled remotely. Aiming is done manually with AI assisted corrections.

Claimed features include:

hit range: up to 1 km;

speed: about 7 km/h;

operational range: 5 km;

autonomy: up to 25 km;

communications via multiple radio channels, including Starlink.

According to the “Military” publication, in December 2024, the production time of such a robot was about 45 days, and the estimated cost was about 26,000 dollars (1.1–1.2 million hryvnias). It is not clear whether the platform has dedicated drone protection systems, in a context where the front is covered by an aerial “kill zone” of up to 15 kilometers.

The Ukrainian press has constantly reported on the increasingly frequent appearance of land-based drones in the army's equipment. In December 2025, Defense Express wrote about when Ukraine could have fully functional combat robots, noting that a key element is the refinement of satellite and radio command systems.

Earlier, in October 2025, the robotic platform “Muraha-Mini” was also unveiled, capable of carrying up to 150 kilograms of equipment – a new sign that the war is increasingly entering a stage dominated by technology and automation.