UGV with grenade launcher: Ukraine approves Zmiy Mini Strike for its armed forces

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has approved the Zmiy Mini Strike unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for use by the armed forces. The reconnaissance-and-strike UGV was developed by a Ukrainian manufacturer together with a frontline brigade; it is intended for reconnaissance, fire support and combat against enemy infantry and armoured vehicles.

The platform draws on more than four years of war experience and is tailored to battlefield requirements. A quiet electric drive, an all-terrain wheeled chassis and daylight and thermal imaging cameras allow both covert reconnaissance and combat missions. Being compact, the UGV fits in the cargo area of a minibus or pick-up and needs no special transport equipment.

As standard, the Zmiy Mini Strike carries a 40-millimetre MK19 grenade launcher; alternatively, other remote weapon stations with infantry weapons can be mounted.

Ukrainian UGV fleet continues to grow

The new system further expands Ukraine's robotic fleet. The Ministry of Defence puts the number of unmanned ground vehicles already procured for the armed forces in 2026 at more than 22,000 – almost twice as many as in the whole of the previous year. In addition, 72 new Ukrainian UGV types have been approved since the start of the year; that is already around 20 per cent more than in the whole of 2025.

Unmanned ground vehicles are steadily gaining importance. In June 2026 alone, Ukrainian UGVs carried out more than 16,600 logistics and casualty evacuation missions; they are increasingly taking over dangerous tasks in the frontline sectors with the heaviest fighting.