# Ukraine drops armed robots from drones deep into Russia

> Ukrainian forces have deployed a new tactic: air-dropping ground robots from heavy drones behind enemy lines, creating an unexpected direction of attack in Operation Vivaldi.
- Title: Ukraine drops armed robots from drones deep into Russia
- Summary: Ukrainian forces have deployed a new tactic: air-dropping ground robots from heavy drones behind enemy lines, creating an unexpected direction of attack in…
- Keywords: ukraine, russia, operation vivaldi, ground robots, drone warfare, third army corps, nc13, alter ego robot battalion, military technology, uncrewed systems, business, technology
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/ukraine-all-robotic-airborne-assaults-new-reality-2026-10
- Author: Jake Epstein
- Published: 2026-10-09T16:59:05.45+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ukraine, russia, operation vivaldi, ground robots, drone warfare, third army corps, nc13, alter ego robot battalion, military technology, uncrewed systems, business, technology
## Ukraine claims first robotic airdrop
Brig. Gen. Andrii Biletskyi, commander of Ukraine's Third Army Corps, disclosed that his forces became the first in the world to air-drop ground robots from drones in combat.

> first in the world
## Heavy drones carry robots six miles into Russia
Heavy bomber drones carried armed robots roughly six miles deep into Russian territory and dropped them as part of Operation Vivaldi, an assault still unfolding in eastern Ukraine.
## The tactic is called Gryphon
The tactic is called Gryphon and is named after a soldier who went missing in action near Andriivka, said Mykola Zinkevych, commander of NC13, the world's first strike uncrewed ground vehicle unit.
## A second unit deploys similar technology
Brave1, Ukraine's state-backed innovation platform, said the Alter Ego robot battalion of the ninety-third Mechanized Brigade developed and deployed similar technology, engineering a robot called Desantnyk in just ten days.
## An asymmetrical solution the enemy does not expect
A Brave1 representative said the air-dropped robots deliver mobility and capability to conduct operations far behind enemy lines, an asymmetrical solution that the enemy does not expect.

> This is an asymmetrical solution that the enemy does not expect, delivering mobility and the capability to conduct operations far behind enemy lines
## Defense firms see value in the systems
Volodymyr Zinovskyi, CEO of Ukrainian defense firm TAF Industries, told Business Insider his company has developed both robots and heavy bomber drones and could easily combine the two for a mission.
## Systems integration is the next challenge
Zinovskyi said defense companies were previously focused on producing drones, but the next challenge is systems integration, where mixed systems work together to complete missions effectively.
## Key takeaway

Ukraine's Third Army Corps has become the first military to air-drop armed ground robots from drones in combat, a tactic called Gryphon that is reshaping how the war is fought.