Overview

• The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade’s experimental Deus ex machina unit conducted the July 8–9 operation in Kharkiv oblast with FPV drones and domestically built “Spider” kamikaze robots carrying over 20 kg of TNT.
• A kamikaze ground robot breached the trench entrance and a follow-up device prompted surviving Russian troops to display a handmade “Vogliamo arrenderci” sign before laying down their arms.
• FPV drones then guided the disarmed soldiers to Ukrainian lines, marking the first recorded instance of troops capitulating solely to unmanned systems.
• The entire engagement lasted about 15 minutes without Ukrainian infantry involvement, no bullets fired and zero Ukrainian casualties.
• Ukraine’s engineers rapidly adapted consumer DJI Mavic drones and developed mobile, jamming-resistant ground robots to minimize human risk and transform frontline tactics.