A Russian group has successfully converted old hoverboards into new, ground-based robots for use on the battlefield in Ukraine. Two majors said they combined two self-balancing scooters to build a four-wheeled platform that can function as a suicide munition. It can also carry anti-tank mines, deploy smoke bombs, and transport supplies to frontline troops without risking a human life. Named the “combat cockroach,” the makeshift robots are reportedly capable of traversing various terrain, including grass and rocks. The group also noted that its “frontline-ready” creation can be controlled from up to two kilometers (1.2 miles) away and guided by a drone view. As for payload capacity and speed, each hoverboard is said to be capable of carrying 100 kilograms (220 pounds) at speeds reaching 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) per hour.
Both Russia and Ukraine have utilized improvisation to increase their lethality and gain a tactical advantage on the battlefield. Kyiv’s forces have been using the so-called “FrankenSAM” weapon made by cobbling together Soviet-era and American systems to neutralize Russian drones and missiles. A group of young Ukrainians also made use of spare parts taken from damaged aircraft to build a drone capable of carrying out reconnaissance and attack missions. For its part, Moscow has used metal sheeting to cover many of its tanks to protect them from drone attacks. Its forces also appeared to have repurposed weapons from older infantry fighting vehicles and turned them into improvised artillery systems.
