For The First Time, Russia Operates Uran-9 Combat Robot With Military Troops

Russia's Uran-9 robotic tank. (Wikimedia Commons/Dmitriy Fomin)

JAKARTA - The Russian defense authority said for the first time that the operation of the combat robot Uran-9, together with the country's military forces, marked a new chapter in Russia's military might.

On this first occasion, Uran-9 was involved to help the defense system of the troops, the Russian Ministry of Defense said, citing TASS 27 August.

"In a special exercise held in the Volga area of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Uran-9 reconnaissance and fire support robot was used for the first time in the battlefield defense posture of the troops," the ministry said in a statement.

The personnel also practiced joint air defense operations, electronic and radiation warfare, chemical and biological protection forces for the first time against enemy drones, the statement continued.

The active phase of the exercise at the Mulino training ground was directly inspected by the Chief of the Russian General Staff, First Deputy Minister of Defense General of the Army Valery Gerasimov.

The massive exercise, which was held in the Western Military District, is the final stage of checking the readiness of troops for the Zapad-2021 strategic exercise which will take place on the territory of Russia and Belarus on September 10-16.

Tests of Russia's Uran-9 robotic tank. (Wikimedia Commons/Vitaly V. Kuzmin)

Having a tank-like stature, the Uran-9 multi-purpose combat robot is designed to carry out reconnaissance and provide fire support to advanced and reconnaissance troops of a tactical-level joint force, increasing efficiency in fulfilling combat tasks and reducing casualties in combat, including in urban warfare.

To note, the Uran-9 is part of the Russian Ministry of Defense's efforts to modernize the entire line of Russian military weaponry. The Uran-9 unmanned robotic tank, which was exhibited last May at the 766th Production and Technological Enterprise in Nakhabino, Moscow, Russia.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, as reported by the Daily Mail at the time, said the robotic tank would be adopted by the Russian Armed Forces as soon as possible. The Uran-9 unmanned robotic tank is known to be equipped with a 30mm caliber machine gun, Ataka anti-tank missiles and flamethrowers.

Before Uran-9, Russia first operationalized Uran-6 as a mine-clearing robot and Uran-14 which has the ability as a fire extinguisher.

"We hope to continue to develop our robotic capabilities, which the military has been waiting for," said Shoigu, while wanting improvements to this robotic tank, especially in the face of electromagnetic radiation and radioactive pollution. Russia itself is currently developing underwater robots and spy robots.