Ukraine Deploys Robot Combat Units Amid Massive Russian Missile Campaign

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has introduced a new model of warfare integrating aerial and ground unmanned systems with infantry. A specialized robot combat unit, the NC-13 company of the 3rd Assault Brigade, has executed more than 100 systematic attacks using ground drones to destroy Russian personnel, shelters, and command posts. President Volodymyr Zelensky credited these robots, which act as substitutes for human infantry, with helping capture a Russian position and liberating large areas of territory in the south since February.

Simultaneously, the Military of the Russian Federation launched a massive missile and drone campaign on April 14 and 15, 2026, targeting energy, transport, and industrial infrastructure. The strikes utilized Kh-101 and Kalibr missiles, Geran-2 UAVs, and FAB-250 munitions, hitting the Mikron plant in Odesa and the Pechenihy hydroelectric complex in the Kharkiv region. These attacks caused widespread power outages in Kyiv, Izyum, and Vinnytsia, while Russian forces dropped leaflets in Sumy critical of President Zelensky.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported neutralizing 114 of 129 Russian UAVs on the night of April 14. Meanwhile, Russian air defenses claimed to have destroyed 97 Ukrainian drones across eight regions, including Belgorod and Kursk.