Ukrainian ground drones now armed with grenade launchers courtesy of a domestic defense company.
In a significant development for the defense sector, Ukrainian and Estonian defense companies have successfully integrated the Ukrainian-made Burya remote weapon station (RWS) featuring a 40mm automatic Mk-19 grenade launcher into the Estonian robotic unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) THeMIS platform.
The combined system demonstrated accurate target engagement at distances over 1,100 meters while maintaining excellent maneuverability, stability, cross-country capability, and precise target tracking. The Burya turret, which has been in service with Ukrainian military units since January 2025 and is being mass-produced for combat support roles, is remotely operated, allowing users to select targets via a console or by entering coordinates. This feature enables rapid target switching and improved grenade launcher calibration compared to tripod-mounted systems.
Additional testing phases are planned to further validate combat readiness across different operational scenarios and integrate the system into automated mission planning for battlefield scaling. This collaboration highlights an important example of cooperation between Ukrainian innovation and European engineering in the modernization of robotic combat support systems.
The integration primarily involves Milrem Robotics (Estonia) and Frontline (Ukraine) as the main developers of the integrated UGV and RWS system. A strategic partnership was also noted between Frontline and the German-Ukrainian drone manufacturer Quantum Systems, indicating expanding multinational collaboration within Ukrainian defense technology, though no direct integration with Quantum Systems is detailed in the search results.
Meanwhile, on the geopolitical front, Hungary's government refused to sign a joint statement by the other 26 EU countries welcoming US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the Russian war against Ukraine. Ukraine reported that its forces have liberated two villages in the border region of Sumy, while the Ukrainian army denied reports of a Russian breakthrough on the frontline in the Pokrovsk and Dobropillia areas in the Donetsk region.
George Barros from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) does not expect much from the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The non-governmental organization "Stand Up Alaska" plans to hold a protest ahead of the meeting between the two leaders in Alaska.
References: [1] https://www.milremrobotics.com/news/frontline-and-milrem-robotics-integrate-burya-remote-weapon-station-on-the-themis-platform/ [2] https://www.military-today.com/land/milrem_themis_buria.htm [3] https://www.defense-blog.com/news/ukrainian-estonian-defense-companies-integrate-buria-remote-weapon-station-on-themis-platform.html [4] https://www.army-technology.com/news/ukrainian-estonian-defence-companies-integrate-buria-remote-weapon-station-on-themis-platform/ [5] https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/01/15/ukrainian-and-estonian-defense-companies-integrate-gun-on-robot-to-help-ukraine-fend-off-russian-aggression/
In light of the successful integration of the Ukrainian-made Burya remote weapon station into the Estonian robotic unmanned ground vehicle THeMIS, the community policy of Milrem Robotics and Frontline, the main developers of the integrated UGV and RWS system, may need to address the expansion of multinational collaboration within the defense sector.
This integration, particularly in the context of ongoing war-and-conflicts and politics, underscores the importance of general news coverage in keeping the public informed about such significant developments in the defense industry.
