Ukrainian Ground Drones Storm Russian Position, Take Prisoners in Battlefield First

For the first time in military history, Ukrainian ground drones stormed a Russian position and took prisoners.

Troops of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, whose press service released a video of the operation, performed the remote assault.

The mission, which involved no infantry or casualties among Ukrainian personnel, was conducted in the Kharkiv region.

In addition to ground robotic systems equipped with anti-tank mines, the strike included kamikaze aerial drones.

“This is the work of the NC13 NRC unit from the DEUS EX MACHINA BPS company of the 2nd Assault Battalion. And this is the first confirmed successful assault in modern warfare using exclusively unmanned platforms,” the brigade reported.

According to the unit, Russian fortifications were targeted by FPV drones and UGV loitering munitions.

As a ground robot approached a destroyed dugout, Russian troops reportedly signaled their surrender to avoid being blown up.

The Russians wrote a message on a piece of cardboard indicating they wanted to surrender, which Ukrainian forces identified via drone.

Two surviving Russian soldiers were then guided by aerial drones to Ukrainian lines and taken into custody.

The Third Assault Brigade said that the use of coordinated drone strikes — both aerial and ground-based — enabled them to capture a position that had previously withstood two assaults by neighboring units.

Ukrainian troops now control the enemy fortifications and the adjacent forest belt.

The brigade recently launched a training school for operators of ground robotic systems (UGV).