Ukraine's defense industry is betting on the future: a grant competition for the development of humanoid robots for defense forces will soon be announced within the Brave1 cluster. This was stated by Ukrainian Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov during the Brave1 Advantage event.

Minimizing Risks for Personnel

The Minister identified the main goal of introducing human-like machines into combat order as reducing risks for Ukrainian military personnel. Robotic systems are intended to take on dangerous tasks and assist in organizing the rotation of units on the frontline, where the threat level remains critically high.

Brave1 Head Andriy Hrytsenyuk emphasized that the development of this direction fully aligns with global trends. According to him, active work on creating combat humanoids is underway in leading technological powers, particularly in the USA and China.

Development Stages and Current Experience

Ukrainian engineers do not plan to create perfect machines immediately. In the first stage of the competition, simpler models will be developed, which will later gain broader functionality and be gradually improved.

Experience working with similar systems has already been accumulated in Ukraine. Previously, the American company Foundation, with the support of the US and Ukrainian governments, tested Phantom MK-1 humanoid robots. The model, presented in the autumn of 2025, became one of the first platforms designed taking into account the specifics of combat operations.

The technical specifications of the Phantom MK-1 are impressive: the robot's height is about 175 centimeters, and the weight ranges from 79 to 82 kilograms. However, tests showed mixed results. On the one hand, the androids demonstrated huge potential; on the other, they revealed serious technical limitations that currently prevent them from fully replacing infantry.

In real conditions on the Ukrainian frontline, these humanoids were used primarily for logistics: delivering ammunition and provisions to positions under enemy fire.

Context of Technological Breakthrough

The development of combat robots is only part of a massive technological leap by Ukraine's defense sector. Alongside robotics, other areas are developing:

  • BlueBird Tech presented a new drone detector, "Chuyka 4.0," equipped with a module for scanning space in new frequency ranges.
  • A unique DART missile has been created in the country, which is launched directly from stratospheric aerostats. The key feature of the development is its complete resistance to hostile electronic warfare means.

Thus, Ukraine is forming a comprehensive approach to modernizing the armed forces, combining advanced robotics with innovative air defense and reconnaissance systems.