3rd Army Corps was first in world to use remote-controlled demining vehicles in offensive
As part of the "Vivaldi" offensive operation, the Third Army Corps was the first military unit to deploy ground-based robotic systems (GRS) for mine clearance and to support assault operations.
This was reported by Censor.NET.
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The main goal of implementing these technologies is to replace infantry with robots in the most dangerous areas in order to save as many lives as possible among Ukrainian soldiers.
In the Shandryholove sector, the National Reconnaissance Corps cleared 30 kilometers of routes. The team completed work on an extremely difficult section in just two nights, whereas it would have taken two companies of sappers a week to do the same. The main benefit of using this technology is that there were absolutely no casualties among the sappers.
In his address regarding the start of the second phase of Operation "Vivaldi," Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the Third Army Corps, emphasized that protecting personnel with the help of drones remains a key priority during the planning and conduct of combat operations:
People often ask, "What about our casualties?" My answer is that we minimize them in every way possible. During assault operations, UAVs and unmanned ground vehicles always lead the way ahead of the infantry.
The Third Army Corps built and scaled up the system for deploying explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) from the squad level all the way up to the corps level. In open terrain and areas with continuous zones of destruction, it would be impossible to clear the territory using only human resources. Instead, robotic systems are already removing about 60% of the anti-personnel mines within the corps’ area of responsibility.
In addition to demining, ground drones are successfully used for preemptive operations, remotely laying mines along enemy advance routes. A single crew can mine up to 200 meters of terrain per day, isolating the combat zone and disrupting the advance of enemy reserves. UAVs also ensure uninterrupted logistics on the front lines: they evacuate the wounded and deliver provisions, construction materials, and equipment, minimizing risks to infantry troops.
As a reminder, Operation "Vivaldi" in the Donetsk region is ongoing and gaining momentum. During the second "season" of the offensive, soldiers of the Third Army Corps liberated the towns of Shandryholove and Derylove and established full control over Drobyshev. In total, 125 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory have already been returned to Ukrainian control at this stage.
