Ground drones operated by Ukrainian Defence Intelligence's Artan unit evacuated 45 wounded soldiers over summer
Uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) operated by Artan, a special unit of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), evacuated 45 Ukrainian service members from under Russian fire and delivered more than 41 tonnes of supplies to the front line during the 2026 summer campaign.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda with reference to the Artan unit
Details: Artan commander Colonel Viktor "Titan" Torkotiuk said the crews operating the robotic platforms worked continuously on the front line.
Overall, Torkotiuk said, the UGVs covered around 4,258 km, providing logistics support, evacuating wounded personnel and transporting Russian soldiers captured by DIU personnel.
"Technology is transforming the combat capabilities of frontline units. Innovative logistics frees up capabilities and personnel for active combat and offensive operations," Torkotiuk stressed.
Artan says its main area of operations is currently the Zaporizhzhia front. At the same time, during the spring and summer of 2026, the unit's personnel also took part in one stage of Operation Vivaldi on the Lyman front.
Defence Intelligence of Ukraine's Artan special unit was established on 1 June 2022. It is commanded by Colonel Viktor "Titan" Torkotiuk, a recipient of all three classes of Ukraine's Order for Courage.
Background:
- In late September, Ukrainska Pravda reported how troops from the 7th Corps used a single UGV to evacuate four wounded soldiers on the Zaporizhzhia front.
- According to information released by Ukraine's Defence Ministry in late August, Ukrainian forces have carried out more than 100,000 logistics and evacuation missions using UGVs since the beginning of the year. Contracts have also been signed for more than 22,000 such vehicles.
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