UKRAINE’S ROBOT MACHINE GUNNER HELD OP RUSSIA FOR SIX WEEKS
By Telegraph-Verity Bowman-16 January 2026 6 am GMT
Ukraine’s robot machine gunner held op Russia for six weeks. For 45 days, Russian front-line troops were pinned back by a remote controlled weapon no larger than a ride-on lawnmower. For 45 days straight, Russian troops on the front line in eastern Ukraine were pinned back by machine gun fire. Even under the cover of fog, they could not break through. It seemed that the fire resistance was being made by dozens of Ukrainian troops in multiple position
For 45 days straight, Russian troops on the front line in eastern Ukraine were pinned back by machine gun fire...
Trump sick of ‘tiresome’ Putin-Russia’s ‘dandelion’ tank armour. Putin’s secret bargain. The Droid TW 12.7 was developed for reconnaissance and combat missions on the frontlines. The unit’s commander told The Telegraph that the feat marked a new chapter in modern warfare, where repeated Russian attacks could now be met and held back without a single soldier being put in harm’s way. “Every day of combat operations is, in essence, a daily renewal of warfare.
The war currently under way in our country is the first and only modern, technological war in history,” said Mykola “Makar” Zinkevych, the NC}13 Strike Company’s commander. “Machines like these are what will change the course of combat operations.” The NC}13 Strike Company is a unit within the Third Army Corps that specialises in un- crewed vehicles, or UGVs. The DevDroid TW 12.7 can move at 4.3mph. According to Cdr Zinkevych, the company deployed the DevDroid TW 12.7 in multiple positions during its 45-day stint at an undisclosed location. It would leave its post every two days for maintenance and ammunition restocking by a crew sheltering 2.4 miles away from the front line. Tasked with delivering relentless firepower, it stood before Russian forces, deterring attacks and protecting the soldiers behind it.
The DevDroid TW 12.7 has an operational range of up to 15 miles and is primarily controlled remotely via radio signal, allowing Ukrainian operators to guide it from a safe distance. In addition to manual control, the drone is equipped with artiqcial intelligence that enables it to set its own course across the battlefield. Videos of the drone in action show it moving across rugged terrain and bring multiple quick-fireshots towards Russian positions.“ The enemy conducted daily opensive pressure on forward positions,” explained Cdr. Zinkevych, who added that the machine gun held op every advance. He explained that Russia was attempting to exploit poor weather conditions, including fog, rain and snow, to infiltrate in small groups. Droid TW 12.7 machine gun drone. OriginUkraine. Target range Up to 1km.
Weather conditions have played into Russian tactical planning in recent weeks. Persistent fog and poor visibility have limited Ukrainian drone surveillance and aerial reconnaissance. This has made it harder for Kyiv’s forces to spot and strike advancing units early while giving Russian troops moments to move or mount attacks under the cover of low visibility. But the DevDroid TW 12.7 allowed positions that would normally require between three and six soldiers to be defended by a single vehicle. “Wherever it is possible to replace a live soldier with a UGV, it should be done,” said Cdr. Zinkevych. The DevDroid is equipped with a remotely controlled turret with a heavy machine gun. The feat highlights the evolving role of unmanned systems in modern warfare, where drones can both extend the reach of soldiers and take on tasks that would otherwise put personnel at risk.
In Ukraine, UAVs and ground drones have increasingly taken over roles once filled by soldiers,carrying out reconnaissance, delivering firepower, and holding positions on the frontline with minimal human presence. Cdr. Zinkevych reported that Russia was unable to detect that no Ukrainian soldiers occupied the position guarded by the drone during the weeks it remained in place. “Until the very end, the enemy was unable to determine that an unmanned ground vehicle(UGV) with a combat module was present at the position,” he said.“ No electronic intelligence intercepts on this matter were recorded and the UGV itself was never hit.”
RECOMMENDED - Hamish de Bretton-Gordon: Russia's absurd 'dandelion' tank shows just how desperate Putin is getting. The Droid TW 12.7 left its post briefly every two days for maintenance, carried out by a Ukrainian drone crew stationed roughly 2.4 miles from the frontline. Each session took around four hours and included servicing the weapons, restocking ammunition, and recharging the drone’s battery. Cdr. Zinkevych explained that the NC}13 Strike Company, founded in September 2025, was concentrating this year on the “maximum involvement” and broader deployment of UGVs in both defensive and offensive operations. Other versions of the drone have recently been approved for use on the front lines, including two vehicles equipped with grenade launchers.“The demand for these systems is high,” he said. “Robots do not bleed.”
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