No Soldiers, No Tanks: Ukraine Shows Off Drone and Robot Parade on Independence Day

Ukraine displayed its military might on the 24th (local time), marking its 35th Independence Day by releasing a parade featuring a massive array of drone and robotic forces.

In the latter half of a one-hour and thirty-six-minute video posted on YouTube by the Office of the President of Ukraine earlier today, dozens of unmanned military vehicles armed with various cannons were shown marching in formation down Khreshchatyk Street in the center of the capital, Kyiv.

Some of the vehicles moved along on continuous tracks typically used by tanks.

This was followed by scenes of various types of drones in operation, including uncrewed surface vessels cutting through the waters of the Dnieper River and unmanned aerial vehicles flying in formation across the skies of the capital.

During the video, a narration played stating, "Where the enemy targets our weaknesses, we instead gain the upper hand," adding, "Behind all these machines lies true heart and bright intellect."

The video was screened in front of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during a speech given by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to domestic and international guests.

Euronews reported on the march, stating, "It was a large-scale demonstration unlike any before," and adding, "There were no marching soldiers, no tanks, and no heavy armored vehicles, but robots designed to perform similar tasks appeared instead."

The outlet also evaluated that the parade offered a glimpse into the nature of future warfare and how Russia's full-scale invasion, which has lasted for four and a half years, has profoundly transformed the Ukrainian military.

It specifically analyzed that although the Ukrainian military lacks a conventional fleet capable of rivaling the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet, it is receiving assistance from uncrewed surface vessels.

The U.S. defense media outlet Defense Blog also reported that ground robots performing logistics, reconnaissance, and combat missions, unmanned aerial vehicles for interception, reconnaissance, and strike, as well as suicide uncrewed surface vessels and surface vessels equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, were showcased.

(Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine YouTube, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.