ZMIY (Ukrainian Змій — "snake") is a family of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) developed since 2022 by Ukrainian company Rovertech. The platform is widely used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the war with Russia — from demining and logistics to direct combat operations. By April 2026, ZMIY robots had completed more than 22,000 missions without infantry involvement.
Modular platform, many variants
ZMIY is not a single robot but a family of platforms sharing a common design philosophy (simplicity, survivability, local production) with many specialised variants:
ZMIY Logistic — the flagship armored next-generation platform for cargo transport (500+ kg payload) and equipment recovery. 50+ km range, 10 km/h speed, Starlink communication, 700 kg tensile force. Engineered to withstand anti-personnel mine blasts.
ZMIY Mini Logistic — a compact logistics platform for narrow paths, damaged infrastructure and hard-to-reach areas: 400 kg payload, 80 km range, 15 km/h, up to 3 km link.
GRCC ZMIY (Ground Robotic Clearance System) — Rovertech's original variant, a remotely operated demining system: up to 3 ha of terrain cleared on a single charge, 3 km operator standoff, neutralises anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.
ZMIY Droid 12.7 — an armored strike UGV with heavy 12.7 mm weaponry. Effective firing range 1000 m, operational range up to 50 km. Delivers fire support, secures positions and clears terrain where risk to soldiers is highest.
ZMIY Mini Strike — a compact strike UGV for close-quarters combat, 1500 m firing range, 15 km/h speed, 150 kg tensile force. High manoeuvrability on terrain impassable for larger vehicles.
ZMIY Gripper (Wila) — a prototype with a hydraulic claw (fork-like "tines"), designed to operate in tandem with a demining platform: equipment recovery from minefields and rapid evacuation of fallen soldiers from the battlefield. 800 kg payload, 250 kg claw lift.
ZMIY Firefighter — Ukraine's first unmanned firefighting complex, delivered to emergency services in Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions (2026). Enables firefighting in mined zones and under artillery fire.
Design and control
All variants are electrically powered, remotely operated by an operator team (typically 2 operators per platform) and designed so that operational simplicity translates to fast field deployment. A key differentiator of ZMIY is resilience in the combat zone — Rovertech platforms average 57 combat missions before loss, while other Ukrainian UGVs end after 7. This reflects armored construction, Starlink communication (hard to jam) and mature system-level integration.
The Tarantula APS active protection system (in development, Rovertech) is intended to further raise ZMIY survivability against FPV drones — currently the most critical threat to UGVs.
Combat use and impact
In April 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted ZMIY as one of the technologies reshaping warfare — over 22,000 missions completed without infantry involvement. In March 2026 the ZMIY platform received a DOU Awards 2026 prize. Rovertech is part of the Ukrainian compensation program for domestic technology (up to 15% purchase refund). Western militaries, including the United States, are watching Ukrainian UGV experience as a technological head start in this class of systems.