Ukraine builds combat robots to hunt Russian troops in underground gas pipelines

Ukraine is developing combat robots to operate inside underground gas pipelines, where Russian troops have sought to bypass frontline defenses, according to United24Media. The 2nd National Guard Corps, Khartiia, is modifying unmanned ground vehicles to perform reconnaissance and combat missions in narrow spaces that conventional military machinery cannot access.

Specialists from the Lava Unmanned Systems Regiment are working on this project, following a successful underground assault near Kupiansk known as Operation Veles. This operation reportedly killed over 100 enemy soldiers and resulted in more than 30 captures, though these figures have not been independently verified. Commander Matematyk explained that the new robots are designed to tackle unique challenges in underground warfare that traditional battlefield robots cannot handle.

The robots are adapted from existing ground robots to be compact enough to navigate narrow pipelines while still capable of carrying out military assignments. As Khartiia develops these robotic systems, the ultimate goal is to deploy machines into dangerous underground environments where soldiers would otherwise need to operate.

The project comes as Ukraine continues to face unconventional battlefield developments near Kupiansk, where Russian troops have previously used gas pipeline infrastructure to infiltrate behind Ukrainian defensive positions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported that Ukrainian forces have eliminated more than 100 Russian troops and captured over 30 during recent operations, highlighting the challenges and limitations of sending soldiers into such environments.