Ukraine’s surprise robot offensive exposes a vulnerability in Putin’s war machine

A soldier with the call sign ''Italian'' and design engineer Denys load a machine gun mounted on a ground robotic complex during trials at a training ground on April 10, 2026.Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesA surprise Ukrainian robot offensive in the eastern Donbas region appears to have reversed over a year of Russian territorial gains, according to security experts, dealing a strategic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin's territorial ambitions.Details of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, dubbed "Operation Vivaldi," have started to come to light in recent weeks, offering rare insight into the fast-changing nature of frontline combat operations amid Russia's full-scale invasion.As part of the ongoing operation, which started in May, security experts said Ukraine's Third Army Corps had been able to deploy large bomber drones and remote-controlled robots behind enemy lines around Lyman in the northern Donetsk Oblast, apparently catching Russian forces off guard. Russian forces have been seeking to encircle Ukraine's so-called fortress belt cities that make up the remaining Ukrainian-held territory in the region for the past 12 months. The third phase of Operation Vivaldi, howev...