A armored, stealthy and wheel machine, designed for the worst of the front. Thus, the Ukrainian media have defined the new Dodger robot, the last development incorporated by the Ukraine Defense Forces to resist and hit Russian troops in the middle of the war. The Ministry of Defense was presented this week as a “universal robotic land complex” that has already been approved for use in combat. As reported by the portal the Dodger has developed based on the direct experience of Ukrainian soldiers on the ground and arrives with a triple functionality that could make a difference: logistics, evacuation of wounded and mining tasks.
The system, low silhouette to avoid being detected by drones or snipers, can transport up to 250 kilos. In addition, it has a armored body that protects its internal circuits from the impact of bullets and shrapnel, something that the previous models failed to guarantee in real combat conditions. Its design clearly points to flexible and high mobility use: it can move in exposed areas to get injured soldiers, load supplies or even deploy explosive loads on roads controlled by the enemy. “It is not just a robot, but a first -line operational support that helps save lives and gain ground,” they explain from the ministry.
Logistics, evacuation and sabotage
The context in which this robot is released is not accidental. Ukrainian troops intensify their efforts in sectors such as Donetsk and Járkov, where the Russian domain of the land imposes extreme conditions on the movements of the Ukrainian units. That is where Dodger’s versatility comes into play, which according to the official note disseminated by defense can be used to “undermine access to Ukrainian positions or the routes in the enemy’s rear”. That is, not only supports medical or logistics tasks, but can also execute sabotage maneuvers, hindering Russian advances with explosives placed at a distance.
These types of robotized systems are not new in war, but its evolution is. As analyzed by the specialized publication Oboronka, the conflict has served as a test laboratory for a new generation of autonomous vehicles that combine artificial intelligence, weapons, thermal sensors and tactical mobility. Faced with the first models, heavy and noisy, the Dodger presents substantial improvements: it is more discreet, more resistant and easier to operate in full offensive. His body – protected against impacts – allows him to enter hot areas where a human would have no options to survive.
For now no details have been offered about the number of units deployed or their exact location, although several images disseminated in military channels suggest that it is already operational in the east. “It is a complex robot, but its goal is very simple: reduce the risks for our troops and increase those of the enemy,” they point out from defense.
The incorporation of this new robot is not understood only as a technological advance, but also as a necessity. In a war marked by kamikaze drones, snipers and melee fighting in trenches, any tool that reduces human personnel exposure represents a strategic advantage. And more if, as in the case of Dodger, it is an autonomous platform that can be rapidly deployed, operate with discretion and resist the punishment of the battlefield.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is an unprecedented test bench for the arms industry, which seeks fast, cheap and effective solutions. And the Dodger, according to the information published by Mezha, responds to that new paradigm: a design adapted to real combat, with multiple functions and national manufacture. It is not the first, and it will not be the last one, but it arrives at a key moment in which kyiv needs to maintain the pressure without assuming lower than the necessary.
