Russian forces attack anything that moves, and unmanned ground vehicles become targets during casualty evacuation. Medics describe how robots work at the front.

Maksym Shtrul, commander of the 3rd Medical Company of the 1st Separate Medical Battalion of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, said this on Army FM radio.

He said unmanned ground vehicles have a number of physical limitations. A robot cannot cross rivers, for instance, or negotiate certain difficult stretches of terrain.

Evacuation routes are planned in advance, but the situation during a mission can change abruptly.

A glide bomb strike, for example, can leave a crater some five metres deep in the road that a robot simply cannot drive around. Another obstacle can be a large tree that has fallen across the road, especially where a treeline offers no way past it.

The officer noted that it would be inaccurate to speak of the Russians systematically hunting unmanned ground vehicles specifically. In his words, the enemy tries to hit anything that moves.

That said, there have been individual cases of concentrated attacks on robotic systems.

During one of the first major operations, around four unmanned ground vehicles were used to evacuate a single casualty.

One of those runs came under heavy enemy fire.

The Russians used around 15 FPV drones as well as artillery against a robotic vehicle moving across open ground.

According to the medic, the robot was a visible and attractive target for the enemy.

Robotic systems nevertheless have real potential for medical evacuation.

They are less conspicuous than large tracked or wheeled vehicles, and easier to conceal under trees or drive into bushes.

They also generate less heat, which makes them harder to detect.

Another important point is that evacuating a casualty by robot is far from a one-operator job.

According to the medical company commander, a large group of people is involved in such an operation.

The work begins at the route planning stage. A dedicated specialist is responsible for preparing the mission. A medic stays in contact with the casualty and works with them before they are loaded onto the vehicle.

The communications link has to be monitored constantly. At the front it can be unstable or deteriorate suddenly, so operators have to track its status and anticipate problems in advance. If a drop in signal is expected, the robot may be temporarily concealed.

Specialists able to handle non-standard situations are also involved. Engineers, in particular, advise operators when a robot becomes stuck in mud, drops into a hole or gets hung up on difficult ground.

Options for providing medical care to a casualty en route are limited.

If necessary, the officer said, a robot can stop at the positions of neighbouring units, where the casualty can be given assistance.

As ArmyInform reported earlier, Russian FPV drones have made casualty evacuation in the Donetsk sector so difficult that medical vehicles can no longer drive right up to combat positions.