Ukraine holds first drone parade on Independence Day: Meet ground robots
Photo: UGV parade on Khreshchatyk (website of the Office of the President)
In Kyiv, on the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, a drone parade took place for the first time in the country’s history. Thirty ground-based robotic systems (UGVs) of six Ukrainian-made models drove down Khreshchatyk Street.
RBC-Ukraine compiled information on the specifications of the UGV, as reported by the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Which UGVs traveled down Khreshchatyk
30 ground-based robotic systems of six models—TerMIT, Rys PRO, Simba, Ardal, Zmiy, and Ratel—traveled down Khreshchatyk Street. According to the Office of the President, Ukrainian RRCs have carried out more than 66,000 missions this year alone, and the Defense Forces have contracted for more than 22,000 domestically produced ground robotic complexes.
Ви не уявляєте, як це складно було зробити pic.twitter.com/VkmEn1je60
— Орест (@kztsky) August 24, 2026
TerMIT (manufactured by Tencore) is a tracked modular platform weighing 280 kg, capable of carrying up to 300 kg of cargo and operating for up to 12 hours without recharging. The updated TerMIT 2.0 version has a range of up to 40 km and a maximum speed of up to 15 km/h, and can climb slopes of up to 30 degrees.
Rys PRO model (manufactured by Roboneers) is a wheeled platform with a payload capacity of up to 300 kg for delivering ammunition, water, and equipment, as well as evacuating the wounded. Its range has been increased to 40 km, with the possibility of extending it to 80 km using additional batteries; communication operates via a digital MESH system.
Simba is a medium-sized logistics UGV manufactured by UGV Laboratory, capable of traveling up to 50 km on two battery packs. In spring 2026, the platform underwent its first tests during the NATO Crystal Arrow exercises in Latvia, where one system covered more than 1,600 km while carrying out missions, according to Defender Media.
Ardal (manufactured by BUREVII) is a tracked ground drone with a frame-based design intended for logistics, evacuation of the wounded, reconnaissance, and remote demining. The system has a range of up to 30 km and can carry a payload of up to 200 kg; the platform has also been integrated with the Buria robotic turret.
Zmiy is an armored wheeled platform manufactured by the Lviv-based company Rovertech and codified according to NATO standards. In its logistics configuration, Zmiy can carry up to 500 kg of cargo—during testing, the system traveled 10 km with this load, losing only 8% of its battery charge.
Ratel X variant (manufactured by Ratel Robotics) is a six-wheeled logistics UGV with a payload capacity of up to 400 kg, ground clearance of over 400 mm, a maximum speed of up to 15 km/h, and a range of over 100 km.
What else was showcased at the parade
In addition to ground robots, the parade featured a naval fleet of nine unmanned Sea Baby, Magura, and Sargan boats, which perform reconnaissance, patrols, and strikes against maritime targets.
Photo: interceptor drones (website of the Office of the President)
In the sky, 18 P1-Sun, Litavr, and Sting interceptors were demonstrated to counter Shaheds, along with 27 Vampire, Lazar, and Heavy Shot drone bombers, eight SHARK and LF-400 reconnaissance drones, as well as seven long-range Morok and Sichen drones. In total, nearly 100 units of Ukrainian unmanned weaponry were showcased at the parade.
Ground-based robotic systems are increasingly becoming a standard component of frontline logistics: According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian Defense Forces units have carried out more than 100,000 logistics and evacuation missions using ground-based robotic systems, and the value of contracts for the procurement of such systems has nearly doubled compared to last year's figures—as RBC-Ukraine reported in July.
