Ukraine's Fedorov launches Army of Robots to deploy

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's former defense minister, has launched a wartime initiative to deploy humanoid and ground robots on the battlefield within six months. The 'Army of Robots' aims to substitute infantry in dangerous frontline roles, seeking to outpace Russian technological adaptation and preserve Ukrainian manpower.

Fedorov announced the initiative at the IT Arena technology conference in Lviv. The announcement followed a weekend of intensified Russian drone strikes on Kyiv's kindergartens, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure, which killed at least three people and injured dozens. Fedorov's goal is to combine engineers, startups, and capital into a single ecosystem for rapid deployment. "Our idea is to combine engineers, startups and capital into one ecosystem so we can launch humanoid-like robots on the battlefield," Fedorov said. He aims for the first confirmed battlefield result from a humanoid-like robot within six months and envisions an assault within a year where robots handle the most dangerous mission parts without infantry.

The project is modeled directly on the Army of Drones, which Fedorov launched in 2022 as digital transformation minister. That initiative opened the market to Ukrainian drone makers, launched government procurement and training, and helped form the first strike drone units. Fedorov stated, "The Army of Drones... Changed everything in our country and in the world and, I think, in the future of the world." The new Army of Robots will include a venture fund, its own defense-tech companies, and a research and development arm.

Context of Russian attacks and Ukraine's technological response

Fedorov's push comes amid relentless Russian strikes and a critical shortage of air-defense interceptors for Ukraine. Russia possesses a far larger army and industrial base, allowing it to copy and scale Ukrainian battlefield innovations rapidly. Fedorov identified the speed of innovation as the biggest challenge. To hit the six-month mark, he said there is no time for traditional research and development. Instead, the initiative will invest in companies with weapons already tested and showing market viability. The program's website frames the effort as Ukraine's necessary answer, stating the need for a Manhattan Project for Physical AI to achieve full autonomy in fighting, scouting, evacuation, and supply.

Current use and limitations of ground robots in Ukraine

Ground robots are already in use, but their roles and autonomy are limited. Ukrainian troops carried out over 25,000 logistics and evacuation missions with ground robots in August alone, a figure 3.3 times higher than in January. However, these systems almost always require a human operator controlling them via Starlink. Most futuristic designs, including the humanoid and crab-like robots shown in an AI-generated video at Fedorov's presentation, are not yet used in combat.

The Army of Robots will tackle a broader technological portfolio beyond humanoids. Fedorov said the project includes autonomous systems, sensors, cheaper anti-jet-Shahed missiles, and AI strike drones and missiles. The effort will involve multiple companies working on different stages, from components and assembly to software development. Fedorov declined to name specific partners but confirmed there are two or three companies involved in these directions.

Fedorov is calling on specialists in robotics, AI, sensors, and autonomous systems to pool talent for this concentrated push. He was dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July but has since launched a new defense company and fund. This new venture had its first investor in Palantir CEO Alex Karp. The ultimate vision is clear. We want to eventually substitute our infantry with these robots, Fedorov stated. He aims for the Army of Robots to achieve its first confirmed battlefield result from a humanoid-like robot within six months of the initiative's launch.