One of Ukraine's First Ground Combat Robots Was a Radio-Controlled Toy Car

It blew itself up in a Russian trench in 2023

A Ukrainian UGV and operator. 92nd Assault Brigade photo

Tiny flying robots are everywhere all the time along the 700-mile front line of Russia’s 41-month—and, increasingly, deep behind the front line, too.

Ground robots aren’t as numerous or as impactful. But that’s changing—fast.

It’s a change that David Kirichenko, an American war correspondent and analyst, saw coming. Two years ago, he saw one of Ukraine’s first combat-capable ground robots in action.

It was a radio-controlled toy.

“I was with a drone unit in Donetsk and this was, I believe, March of 2023 and I already saw one drone unit build a custom R.C. car packed with explosives and they drove it right into a Russian trench and, like, blew up that Russian trench,” Kirichenko said.