Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps says drones dropped ground robots over 10 km behind Russian lines in Operation Vivaldi. It attributes over 3,000 Russian personnel losses and about 48 square miles recovered to the mission; neither figure is independently confirmed.
The Corps calls it the first use by any military of an aerial drone to deploy a combat ground robot behind enemy lines; independent verification is unavailable. The Hryphons carry explosives and are remotely operated by trained personnel, who direct each vehicle and make targeting decisions.
According to The Telegraph, forces ran the operation at night. Electronic-warfare units worked to disrupt Russian reconnaissance drones, while artillery and aerial strikes suppressed troops who might spot the carrier aircraft. Infantry moved in after robotic and artillery strikes to advance and hold the ground.
