As part of the offensive Operation Vivaldi, the Third Army Corps became the first military unit in the world to deploy ground robotic systems (GRS) to demine the territory and support assault operations.
As part of the offensive Operation Vivaldi, the Third Army Corps became the first military unit in the world to deploy ground robotic systems (GRS) to demine the territory and support assault operations.
The effectiveness of the new tactic was confirmed in the direction of the settlement of Shandrygolovye. Robotic complexes cleared 30 kilometers of routes in just two nights - the amount of work that would have required two companies of sappers at least a week. The most important result of the use of the NRC was the absence of losses among the personnel of the sapper units.
The Commander of the Third Army Corps, Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky, when announcing the start of the second phase of Operation Vivaldi, emphasized that minimizing risks to soldiers is the top priority when planning actions:
"They often ask, what about our losses? I answer, we minimize them in every possible way. During assault operations, UAVs and IRCs always go ahead of the infantry."
The Third Army Corps has independently developed and expanded the system for using IEDs from the level of a separate detachment to the scale of the entire corps. In open terrain, robotic systems are already removing about 60% of anti-personnel mines in the unit's area of responsibility.
In addition to mine clearance, ground drones perform other strategic tasks:
remotely mine the enemy's advance routes (one crew is capable of mining up to 200 meters per day, disrupting the approach of enemy reserves);
They evacuate the wounded, transport provisions, building materials, and ammunition to the front line.
Operation Vivaldi in the Donetsk region is currently ongoing. During the second phase of the offensive, the corps forces have already liberated the settlements of Shandryholove and Derylove, and also taken full control of Drobysheve, returning a total of 125 square kilometers of territory to Ukrainian control.
