Ukraine said on Thursday that its forces had carried out more than 16,000 ground drone missions in June alone, more than double the January figure.

“From logistics to medical evacuation, UGV units are taking on the most dangerous tasks,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in a social media post on X announcing the June figures.

In comparison, Ukrainian forces carried out 7,511 ground drone missions in the first month of 2026.

Use of these unmanned ground vehicles grew more slowly, reaching 9,072 in March, before jumping to 11,028 in April, 14,059 in May and 16,676 in June.

“Thus, in the first month of summer, the use of NRC increased by 18.6% compared to May and 122% compared to January,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement, referring to the Ukrainian abbreviation for ground drones.

In total, the first six months of 2026 involved more than 66,300 mission tasks performed with ground drones, the ministry said.

The reported count covers logistics and evacuation missions, “replacing military personnel in the most difficult areas of the front,” the Defense Ministry said.

Some of Ukraine’s ground drones are also equipped with small arms to conduct assaults or hold fighting positions, but in recent months, kyiv’s forces have placed greater emphasis on delivering critical supplies to its troops.

Enemy surveillance and attack drones loiter in the distance behind the front, creating “kill zones” that can extend up to 50 kilometers into Ukrainian-controlled territory in some areas.

These areas are so saturated with drones that they put any human soldier or armored vehicle at high risk of being detected and attacked.

One of Ukraine’s solutions to preserving its already stretched troops is to flood these battlefield supply routes with ground-based drones, often wheeled or tracked buggies loaded with food, ammunition and water.

Over the past two months, Ukrainian units have also been converting aerial bombers, attack and surveillance drones to transport supplies.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said it plans to eventually “transfer up to 100% of frontline logistics to robotic solutions.”

Its forces have contracted more than 22,000 new ground drones to be delivered to the front this year, and the ministry said it hopes to acquire additional systems by 2026.