Ukrainian soldiers from the 44th Separate Mechanized Brigade destroyed a Russian position and killed 20 enemy troops using a remotely operated Droid TW-12.7 combat robot.
The unmanned ground vehicle was navigated remotely toward a building occupied by Russian military personnel before operators opened fire with an onboard heavy machine gun. Ukrainian defense technology company DevDroid, which manufactured the ground robotic complex, reported details of the operation to news outlet LIGA.net.
After positioning the vehicle outside the structure, operators fired the mounted 12.7 mm caliber Browning M2 machine gun into the target area. According to figures provided by DevDroid, the attack destroyed the enemy position and eliminated all 20 hostile personnel stationed inside.
Remote combat capabilities
The entire engagement was conducted using remote control systems, allowing Ukrainian troops to fulfill their combat objective without physically approaching enemy lines or risking direct exposure to hostile fire. Designed for front-line deployment, the Droid TW-12.7 platform combines remote command capabilities with heavy firepower, enabling forces to conduct reconnaissance, battlefield surveillance, and direct combat missions.
The 44th Separate Mechanized Brigade is an active military formation within the Ukrainian Ground Forces, known for operating artillery and mechanized armor. Manufacturer DevDroid specializes in military technology, engineering autonomous and remotely piloted ground platforms designed to replace human soldiers in high-risk tactical roles. The M2 Browning heavy machine gun mounted on the platform fires 12.7x99mm NATO ammunition, a heavy caliber designed to penetrate light fortification materials and vehicle plating.
Broader ground drone operations
The deployment of the Droid TW-12.7 reflects a broader effort by Ukrainian forces to integrate unmanned ground vehicles into assault and reconnaissance operations alongside airborne systems. In a separate engagement reported by the developer, Ukrainian troops successfully destroyed a Russian position by deploying a ground combat robot in close coordination with an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Naval operations have also begun incorporating ground-based robotic systems. On the Kinburn Spit, a strategic landform in southern Ukraine, a maritime drone delivered a ground combat robot ashore for a military mission, marking the first recorded operation of its kind.
In another reported incident involving DevDroid hardware, a different model known as the Droid TW-7.62 ground robotic complex successfully captured three Russian soldiers during front-line operations.
