For 45 days straight, Russian troops in eastern Ukraine were kept at bay by machine gun fire from the DevDroid TW 12.7. Photo / YouTube / DevDroid
For 45 days straight, Russian troops on the front line in eastern Ukraine were pinned back by machine gun fire.
Even under the cover of fog, they could not break through.
It seemed the fierce resistance was being made by dozens of Ukrainian troops in multiple positions.
In fact, it was the Third Army Corps’ secret weapon: the DevDroid TW 12.7.
The unmanned ground vehicle, no bigger than a ride-on lawnmower, is armed with a .50-calibre M2 Browning machine gun and operated remotely by a soldier as far as 24km away. It can tackle rugged terrain at 7km/h using an AI automatic guidance system or by remote control.
The unit’s commander told The Telegraph the feat marked a new chapter in modern warfare, where repeated Russian attacks could now be met and held back without a single soldier being put in harm’s way.
“Every day of combat operations is, in essence, a daily renewal of warfare. The war currently under way in our country is the first and only modern, technological war in history,” said Mykola “Makar” Zinkevych, the NC-13 Strike Company’s commander.
“Machines like these are what will change the course of combat operations.”
The NC-13 Strike Company is a unit within the Third Army Corps that specialises in uncrewed ground vehicles, or UGVs.
According to Zinkevych, the company deployed the DevDroid TW 12.7 in multiple positions during its 45-day stint at an undisclosed location. It would briefly leave its post every two days for maintenance and ammunition restocking by a crew sheltering 4km away from the front line.
Tasked with delivering relentless firepower, it stood before Russian forces, deterring attacks and protecting the soldiers behind it.
The DevDroid TW 12.7 has an operational range of up to 24km and is primarily controlled remotely via radio signal, allowing Ukrainian operators to guide it from a safe distance.
In addition to manual control, the drone is equipped with artificial intelligence that enables it to set its own course across the battlefield.
Videos of the drone in action show it moving across rugged terrain and firing multiple quick-fire shots towards Russian positions.
“The enemy conducted daily offensive pressure on forward positions,” said Zinkevych, who added the machine gun held off every advance.
He explained Russia was attempting to exploit poor weather conditions, including fog, rain and snow, to infiltrate in small groups.
Weather conditions have played into Russian tactical planning in recent weeks.
Persistent fog and poor visibility have limited Ukrainian drone surveillance and aerial reconnaissance. This has made it harder for Kyiv’s forces to spot and strike advancing units early while giving Russian troops moments to move or mount attacks under the cover of low visibility.
But the DevDroid TW 12.7 allowed positions that would normally require between three and six soldiers to be defended by a single vehicle.
“Wherever it is possible to replace a live soldier with a UGV, it should be done,” said Zinkevych.
The feat highlights the evolving role of unmanned systems in modern warfare, where drones can extend the reach of soldiers and take on tasks that would otherwise put personnel at risk.
In Ukraine, UAVs and ground drones have increasingly taken over roles once filled by soldiers, carrying out reconnaissance, delivering firepower and holding positions on the frontline with minimal human presence.
Zinkevych said Russia was unable to detect that no Ukrainian soldiers occupied the position guarded by the drone during the weeks it remained in place.
“Until the very end, the enemy was unable to determine that an unmanned ground vehicle with a combat module was present at the position,” he said.
“No electronic intelligence intercepts on this matter were recorded and the UGV itself was never hit.”
The Droid TW 12.7 left its post briefly every two days for maintenance, carried out by a Ukrainian drone crew stationed roughly 4km from the frontline.
Each session took about four hours and included servicing the weapons, restocking ammunition and recharging the drone’s battery.
Zinkevych said the NC-13 Strike Company, founded in September 2025, was concentrating this year on the “maximum involvement” and broader deployment of UGVs in defensive and offensive operations.
Other versions of the drone have recently been approved for use on the front lines, including two vehicles equipped with grenade launchers.
“The demand for these systems is high,” he said. “Robots do not bleed.”
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