[War & Business] The Era of Surrendering to Combat Robots

Combat Robots Become Routine in the Ukraine War
Semiconductors and Batteries Emerge as Strategic Industries

The combat robot "TW-7.62" produced by Ukrainian defense company Devdroid. Devdroid website

Recently, Ukrainian defense company Devdroid drew attention by releasing a video showing its combat robot capturing three Russian soldiers on the frontlines. The image of terrified Russian troops lying flat on the ground in front of a robot aiming a machine gun resembled a scene straight out of a science fiction movie.

Although the robot appears crude, resembling a small tracked vehicle with a light machine gun mounted on top, it is a formidable weapon capable of autonomous movement and attack using artificial intelligence (AI), and can detect and eliminate enemies up to 1 kilometer away. Initially, Russian forces dismissed these robots as insignificant, but after experiencing their deadly firepower, they reportedly surrendered without even attempting to fight back.

On some Ukrainian frontlines, a single combat robot reportedly held off relentless Russian assaults for 45 days. The robot fought continuously against Russian troops for 48-hour stretches before returning to the rear for ammunition resupply, then heading back to the front for more combat. Thanks to this robot, Ukrainian troops who were nearly isolated on the frontlines were able to retreat safely to the rear.

The significant role of robots has been a key factor in enabling Ukrainian forces to maintain their positions against the much stronger Russian military for four years. Ukraine faces a severe manpower shortage, with a population more than 2.5 times smaller than Russia and less than half the number of regular troops. On some fronts, the power imbalance exceeds 10 to 1, but robots and drones have helped fill this gap.

The daily battles these combat robots face in Ukraine are all being recorded as data and used to develop new models. The vast amounts of data generated each day by drones in the sky, combat robots on the ground, and autonomous submarines at sea are fueling the advancement of AI for warfare. As the war drags on, Russian forces are also increasing their use of drones and robots, leading to fierce clashes between robotic and drone units on both sides in preliminary skirmishes.

While robot warfare is now seen as a natural part of the battlefield, in the 2010s there was strong international pressure to halt the development of combat robots. However, after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, such opposition has all but disappeared. Since 2014, the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) group has proposed that countries establish international norms and regulations regarding combat robot development, but so far, no country has created or implemented such rules.

On the contrary, major powers led by the United States and China are now racing to build robot armies. In the United States, a startup called Foundation, established specifically to develop combat robots, plans to produce 50,000 humanoid combat robots by 2027. These robots, designed to be 175 centimeters tall and weigh 82 kilograms, are expected to be deployed to all fronts in place of human soldiers.

China has also provoked the United States and Taiwan by unveiling a wolf robot developed by China South Industries Group Corporation (CSGC) and deploying it alongside soldiers in amphibious assault training. Although Chinese robots may lag behind the United States in combat capabilities and quality, they are focusing on overwhelming enemy air defense networks through sheer numbers. Various types of robots are expected to be deployed in the future for large-scale amphibious operations and to break through entrenched frontlines, where mass casualties are inevitable.

As robots become recognized as the core force of future warfare, the semiconductor and battery industries-key to robot production-are now considered strategic sectors vital to national survival, rather than mere manufacturing industries. This is why not only major powers but also countries around the world are striving to attract semiconductor and battery factories to their own territories. Supporting factories considering relocation abroad due to labor costs or profitability concerns is no longer just the responsibility of economic ministries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.