The Ukrainian military unit "Khartia", which specializes in the use of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), has begun developing unique machines adapted for combat operations within underground pipelines. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to an official statement by the battalion. According to the publication, the new systems are being created as part of Operation Veles, which is being conducted inside a gas pipeline in the Kupyansk area. As emphasized in the Khartia statement, traditional ground robotic operations are "now underground" — the machines are adapted to the conditions of a narrow pipe and specific tasks that the military unit calls a "new domain of war".
Operation Veles and the New Combat Domain
Operation Veles, mentioned in the battalion's statement, involves combat operations within the underground gas pipeline infrastructure in the Kupyansk district. This region in the Kharkiv Oblast has remained one of the most active combat zones since the beginning of the full-scale conflict. Moving robotic operations into the underground space means that the Ukrainian military is facing challenges for which there are no ready-made solutions on the global market. The narrow diameter of the pipe, limited visibility, complex navigation, and the need to operate in a confined space make the underground domain fundamentally different from the open fields and urban streets usually associated with UGVs.
Technical Challenges: Why Civilian Solutions Don't Fit
The commander of the UGV battalion with the call sign "Mathematician" noted that operating underground is technically much more difficult than on the surface. According to him, off-the-shelf civilian machines designed for tunnel maintenance are too large for the conditions military personnel must navigate inside pipelines. That is why the unit has recently focused on several in-house developments. "We must dominate underground," the soldier stated. Khartia has not yet disclosed the specific characteristics, cost, or planned production volume of the new systems.
Context: The Global Ground Robotics Race
The development of Ukrainian underground UGVs comes against the backdrop of active ground robotics development worldwide. Recently, the French company Renault Group presented the Forefront Concept modular UGV, created on the basis of proven automotive technologies and components. The machine's design features two electric motors and an all-wheel steering system; according to the manufacturer, the vehicle can travel about 400 km on a single battery charge. In addition, in September, the Croatian Komodo UGV from Rheinmetall successfully underwent bridge-laying trials, and the Ukrainian company ARMOLAB presented the UNIMOD dismountable ground robotic system designed for air dropping.
Thus, the Ukrainian military is becoming one of the first to attempt adapting ground robotics for combat use in confined underground spaces. If Khartia's developments are brought to mass production, it could set a precedent in global military robotics, where the underground domain has hitherto remained virtually unexplored.
