Over half of the missions carried out by soldiers from the 1st Separate Medical Battalion (MedBat) using the Ukrainian Maul unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) have been successful. On average, one ground robot saves the lives of nearly two soldiers.
Source: a report by the 1st Separate Medical Battalion
Details: According to the unit, the Maul UGV was first used in combat conditions in January 2025, and by October 2025, the ground robot had carried out its first successful evacuation of a wounded soldier.
As of late September 2026, soldiers from the 1st Separate MedBat have carried out "hundreds of missions" using the Maul, 51.9% of which were successful. The unit explained that operations are considered successful when a wounded soldier is transferred to subsequent stages of evacuation.
Quote: "On average, during its lifespan, one Maul evacuates 1.92 wounded soldiers. However, practice shows that a Maul can survive anywhere from 20 minutes to 12 successful missions. Factors affecting mission outcomes include preparation time, situational awareness, coordination with adjacent units, weather conditions and enemy activity in the sector. In the vast majority of missions, time of day was not a decisive factor."
Details: Meanwhile, an unsuccessful mission does not necessarily mean the death of a soldier on the frontline. In more than half of incomplete operations, the reason was the vehicle returning without a casualty. The remainder involved the loss of the vehicle prior to loading.
Quote: "Unfortunately, in 4.6% of all missions, the UGV was destroyed with the casualty on board."
Details: To increase mission success rates, the 1st MedBat prioritises operations based on information regarding the circumstances and severity of wounds, as well as logistical threats and capabilities. The technical condition of the UGV is also checked before operations, and more than 10 military personnel are involved in executing each mission.
Quote: "An important component of the mission team is the rapid response group, which we call the 'lively group' – these are service members involved in delivering the Maul to the launch point, inspecting its technical condition and performing maintenance. After a mission is completed, they also retrieve the vehicle, sanitise it and inspect it for damage."
For reference: The Maul UGV is an ATV-based ground robotic system equipped with a special armoured capsule for transporting a wounded person. It features an internal combustion engine, suspension, an armoured capsule and electronic warfare equipment.
The robot's average speed during evacuations is 30-40 km/h, and the maximum distance covered by the Maul during a single mission is 110 km.
Background:
- Ukrainska Pravda reported that the Come Back Alive Foundation announced the launch of the RoboBro project to purchase ground evacuation robotic systems. The project's goal is to save at least 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers' lives using UGVs. Ukrainian ground robots, including the Maul, will be purchased as part of the project.
- Ukrainska Pravda has described how the 1st Medical Battalion uses UGVs for evacuations in this article: Two wounded Ukrainian soldiers rescued from right under Russians' noses: the heroic exploits of the Maul robot and the 1st Medical Battalion
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Originally reported by Ukrainska Pravda by Andrii Konyk. Read the full story at the source.
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