UGVs have performed over 100,000 frontline missions in place of Ukrainian military personnel since the start of the year
Since the beginning of 2026, units of the Defence Forces of Ukraine have carried out more than 100,000 logistics and evacuation missions using unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Each of these missions represents Ukrainian service members’ lives potentially saved.
All UGV missions have been recorded in the DELTA combat system.
As Minister of Defence of Ukraine Evgeniy Khmara emphasized, the lives and health of service members are of paramount importance, and technology is needed to give Ukrainian defenders an advantage while minimizing risks to personnel.
Ground drones help put this principle into practice by taking the place of personnel in the most dangerous areas of the front, delivering ammunition, food, and water, and evacuating wounded and fallen service members.
Number of UGV missions conducted in 2026
Since the beginning of the year, the number of UGV missions has been increasing each month. The monthly figures are as follows:
- January: 7,511;
- February: 7,960;
- March: 9,072;
- April: 11,028;
- May: 14,059;
- June: 16,664;
- July: 19,969;
- August 1–20: 15,729.
The highest number of ground drone missions so far was recorded in July.
Increasing UGV procurement
At the same time, the need for UGVs continues to grow steadily. To significantly expand their use on the front line, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has substantially increased UGV procurement volumes and identified this year’s UGV requirements.
Key supply and order figures since the beginning of 2026 include:
- More than 22,000 UGVs have already been contracted, nearly twice the figure for the whole of last year;
- The military has already ordered nearly UAH 1.9 billion worth of UGVs through the Brave1 Market marketplace under the ePoints program.
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine continues its efforts to integrate ground drones into the Defence Forces and shift frontline logistics to UGVs, helping save the lives of Ukrainian service members.