Ukraine's 'death scythe' weapon can take out Putin's troops from 1.5 miles away (2024)

Robotic systems developed by Ukraine for battlefield use aresaid to be having a deadly effect as they catch Russian troops off-guard.

Three military units reported that they have deployed the remote-controlled platforms in operations against Vladimir Putin’s forces.

One said that an operator drinking coffee in a bunker used a ShaBlya 7.62 PKT — a semi-autonomous machinegun unit — to lay down fire on the Kremlin’s troops while keeping his own personnel safe.

Another, the Da Vinci Wolves battalion, which is fighting on some of the hottest parts of the frontline, reportedthat the mobile ground system ‘held back an assault and took outmany Russians’.

Moscow’s troops — said to have been ordered to mount costly ‘wave attacks’— have called the ShaBlya a ‘death scythe’.

United24, Ukraine’s official fundraising platform, is supporting the step-change in battlefield technology, with the use of ‘promising’ AI being developed to upgrade the various systems.

Metro.co.uk told last week how the first generation of robots, which were already being developed by Ukraine in the years before Putin’s all-out attack, mark a new era in modern warfare.

The ‘ironclad’ machinery — some of which can withstand small arms fire — can also be used to provide logistical support, conduct reconnaissance and surveillance and for ‘kamikaze’ missions.

Nataliia Kushnerska, chief operations officer at the Ukrainian defence tech cluster Brave1, told Metro.co.uk: ‘First and foremost, it’s about minimizing the human factor.

‘Ground robotic systems are capable of performing a wide range of tasks that were previously carried out by humans.

‘These include reconnaissance, engaging targets, demining, cargo transportation and casualty evacuation.

‘The ability to perform these functions with robots allows for the reduction of military personnel who were previously assigned to these tasks.

‘Additionally, the use of robotic systems increases the accuracy and efficiency of task execution.

‘Moreover, the sudden appearance of Ukrainian robots on the frontline catches enemy forces off guard, as they lack experience in countering robotic systems.’

The ShaBlya’s advantage lies in its excellent optics, including thermal imaging, according to Ms Kushnerska. An operator inputs the distance to the target, aims and fires accurately at distances up to 2.5km.

Ms Kushnerska cited reports from two frontline Ukrainian units testifying to the deadly effectiveness of the weapon.

The 5th Separate Assault Brigade, which has been defending the key strategic city of Chasiv Yar, has been shown in a video using the remote system to devastating effect on a highway.

The brigade has been engaged in fierce fightingdespite shortages in manpower and ammunition, with a report in The Times describing how they are fighting to the last man as they try to hold the settlement in Donetsk.

An unnamed brigade member said: ‘We installed a remote automatic turret at the position while its operator drank coffee in the bunker.

‘We controlled the battlefield using a drone. As soon as something moved, we covered it with fire. The robot was targeted with mortar fire but our personnel remained safe.’

Another report came from a brigade fighting near the shattered city of Avdiivka, which was captured by Russian forces in February 2024.

A ShaBlya was used in an attempt to repel an assault amid heavy fighting as the Kremlin’s troops tried to wrest control of the settlement.

An unnamed soldier in the Da Vinci Wolves battalion said: ‘When the enemy finally captured that position, there were no dead Ukrainians there.

‘It turned out to be a pretty good exchange.’

The robots can be broadly grouped into three types of combat systems encompassing minelaying and self-destructing platforms and logistical and medical evacuation vehicles.

The operators remain in shelters up to four kilometres away and can use the platforms in coordinated swarms.

The ShaBlya and other systems designed specifically for combat can be equipped with machine guns, such as the 7.62mm calibre PKT and PKM and 12.7mm NSVT and M2 Browning.

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said yesterday that they are using uncrewed cars to evacuate people and damaged vehicles on the frontline.

The elite group of operators described the vehicles as being able to ‘move smoothly on any surface’, enabling them to carry out their work ‘even more efficiently and unnoticeably’.

While the current platforms are being operated remotely by humans, Ms Kushnerska told Metro.co.uk that AI is being developed to enhance the platforms and had already yielded results in ‘close combat’.

‘The use of AI in unmanned ground vehicles is one of the promising directions for the development of both technologies,’ she said.

‘Ukrainian developers are currently exploring options for such integration.

‘When it comes specifically to using artificial intelligence in weapon systems, Ukrainian developers have achieved the greatest success in integrating it into UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] guidance and control systems. Here we already have concrete results being tested in close combat conditions.’

While Moscow’s forces possess superior numbers and firepower, Brave1 has learned that the platforms are instilling fear in the enemy.

‘During combat operations, Ukrainian soldiers used the ShaBlya 7.62 PKT against the Russians,’ Ms Kushnerska said.

‘After the meeting with this robotic system, Russians characterised it as “the scythe of death” or “a robot working for the Ukrainians”.’

The project backed with donations via United 24 forms part of what Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said is an ‘army of drones’.

This also encompasses maritime and aerial drones, including the ‘sea baby’ vehicles which have been used to devastating effect against Russia’s navy after they were developed ‘in-house’ by Ukraine.

Marking United24’s second anniversary last week, Mr Zelenskyy said: ‘Now we are adding another component to help people – we have to make it commonplace for our Defense Forces to use robotic platforms.’

Ms Kushnerska told Metro.co.uk that donations to Ukraine’s official fundraising channel were helping to ‘dailydefend freedom and democracy in the war against the aggressor’.

She added: ‘By using robots to perform tasks that previously required human involvement, we minimise risks to the lives and health of soldiers.

‘With robots, operations can be controlled from a safe location, without exposing oneself to danger. The more lives we save, the more chances we have to withstand and achieve victory in this war.

‘Robots are critically necessary for this.’

Ms Kusherska spoke as the UK Ministry of Defence published figures showing that the number of Russian dead and wounded had ‘likely’ reached 500,000 since the start of the all-out invasion in February 2022.

No figure was given for Ukrainian casualties.

The intelligence update stated: ‘It is highly likely that most Russian forces receive only limited training, and they are unable to carry out complex offensive operations. As a result, Russia employs small-scale but costly wave attacks in an effort to weaken Ukrainian defences.’

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