Russia is reportedly deploying combat robots in an effort to fight the array of tanks that Ukraine has at their disposal.
In a Telegram post on Thursday, Dmitry Rogozin, former head of Russian space industry and current leader of the military advisory group, "Tsar Wolves," shared a video of a combat robot being transported off of a truck.
"The first four 'Marker' robots arrived in the region on schedule. We are starting to upload target images, work out combat algorithms as part of a group of combat robots, and install powerful anti-tank weapons," Rogozin wrote in the translated Telegram post.
The post from Rogozin comes as Ukraine has recently received several types of tanks from the U.S., Germany and other NATO nations amid Ukraine's war with Russia. In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the "special military operation" in Ukraine and intense fighting between the two nations has nearly reached the one-year mark, which is February 24.
Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a plan to send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
"They need to be able to counter Russia's evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term. They need to improve their ability to maneuver in open terrain. And, they need an enduring capability to deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long term," Biden said in a statement following the announcement.
Biden added that the M1 Abrams tanks are the "most capable tanks in the world."
In addition to the U.S., Germany also recently announced that it was sending Leopard 2 Tanks to Ukraine last month.
"Germany will provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 combat tanks—as so far in close consultation with our international allies. Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz declared this in the Bundestag today. He also explicitly addressed those citizens who are worried about this decision," the German government said.
However, Anatoly Antonov, Russian ambassador to the U.S., recently told Newsweek that "American tanks without any doubt will be destroyed as all other samples of NATO military equipment."
During an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti last month, Rogozin discussed the use of the Marker combat robots, saying they would be able to detect M1 Abrams tanks or the German-made Leopard 2 tanks in battle.
"Everyone agrees that our strike Marker should be prepared for their destruction along with the crews in the remaining time before the arrival of the Abrams and Leopards in Ukraine," Rogozin said, according to RIA Novosti.
Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for comment.
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