A Ukrainian drone manufacturer has disclosed that a fully autonomous drone test two years ago resulted in the deaths of Russian soldiers on the battlefield. The claim was made by Alexander Kokhanovskyy, chief executive of Aero Center, during a New Scientist interview at a Ukrainian embassy‑hosted press event in London.
Kokhanovskyy explained that the experiment used quadcopter drones pre‑programmed to fly to a designated front‑line zone before switching into an AI‑driven “Terminator mode.” In that mode the drones were instructed to locate and engage any target within the area, without any human‑piloted video feed or remote control. After the drones completed their run, human‑piloted UAVs surveyed the site and reported finding “a couple” of dead Russian soldiers, leading the company to conclude that the autonomous system had carried out the lethal strikes.
If verified, the incident would mark a rare instance of fully autonomous weaponry being used in combat, underscoring the rapid evolution of AI‑guided munitions in Ukraine’s conflict and raising questions about future rules of engagement for such systems.
