{
  "id": 10393926,
  "title": "A Ukrainian commander tells us why troops attack in the day and roll out their war 'robots' at night",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/a-ukrainian-commander-tells-us-why-troops-attack-in-the-day-and-roll",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T07:30:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-commander-troops-attack-day-ground-drones-robots-night-mines-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Ukrainian commander has explained why his troops utilize ground and aerial drones during daylight hours for mine-laying operations, while reserving night-time for assaults. The 96th Support Battalion, part of the Ukraine's Third Army Corps, has been using unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to clear minefields rapidly. A single UGV can deploy a minefield up to 1,300 feet deep within two days, far quicker than a human crew. Commander Serhii Tischenko revealed that UGVs are less conspicuous to the enemy compared to human operators, enabling more effective mine-laying. He also explained that ground drones are advantageous for clearing mines at night due to the enemy's reliance on visual drones, which can be more easily detected during daylight. The battalion also deploys heavy aerial bombers, typically hexacopters capable of carrying up to 40 kg, to lay mines in large numbers. These bombers can drop up to 40 anti-personnel mines during a single sortie, flying up to 10 km from their drop-off point. A typical night could see these bombers conducting up to five sorties, contributing significantly to slowing down Russian advances.",
  "summary": "Ground drones, tracked or wheeled platforms designed to carry heavy loads, are much quieter on the battlefield, the battalion commander said.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}