A Russian attack near Pokrovsk on Thursday left behind destroyed vehicles, at least one dead soldier, and a big problem for Ukraine’s defenses. A damaged Russian T-90M tank rolled through Ukraine’s razor-wire barrier, creating a gap that could allow more Russian troops to push forward.
But by the next morning, the wire was back in place. How? A Ukrainian ground robot may have done the job.
A Failed Russian Attack
Lately, Russia has been struggling to attack Ukrainian defenses. Without enough heavily armored vehicles, many Russian troops have been moving on foot or using regular civilian trucks. But on Thursday, Russia tried to break through Ukrainian defenses by sending a group of armored vehicles, including at least one T-90M tank.
It didn’t go well. Ukrainian artillery, drones, and razor-wire barriers stopped the attack. The assault only proved how weak Russia’s offensive has become, according to Ukrainian bloggers.
How Did the Wire Get Fixed?
The T-90M tank, possibly damaged and abandoned by its crew, had crashed through the razor wire before stopping. By the next morning, a drone flying above the battlefield showed the wire had been replaced.
One Ukrainian blogger suggested that an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) had done the job. These remote-controlled robots help soldiers do dangerous tasks, like laying down razor wire, without putting their lives at risk.
How the Robot Works
The UGVs used by Ukraine are small, tracked vehicles with a coil of razor wire in the back. A soldier controls them from a safe distance, using a front-facing camera to see where to drive. The robot hooks the end of the wire to an existing barrier, then moves forward to unspool the rest of the wire.
If the Russians destroy the robot, it’s not a big loss compared to losing a trained soldier. As one Ukrainian soldier put it, “It’s better to lose a robot.”