- Ukrainian emergency crews used drones and a ground robot to remove unexploded cluster munitions left by a Russian Shahed strike on a residential building in Vyshhorod.
- The State Emergency Service reported that 21 submunitions and the drone’s warhead were recovered from the apartment roof and safely destroyed.
Ukrainian emergency crews were forced to deploy robotic demining systems after a Russian Shahed attack left unexploded submunitions scattered across a residential neighborhood in the city of Vyshhorod.
The strike, which targeted civilian buildings during an overnight assault, caused casualties and extensive property damage.
According to a statement from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (DSNS), the incident began when a Russian loitering munition carrying an unusual payload struck the roof of a multi-story apartment building but failed to detonate.
“During the night enemy attack on the city, one of the Russian drones hit the roof of a high-rise building, but fortunately did not explode,” the DSNS said. The agency added that “as a result, the damaged drone, its warhead, and 21 cluster munitions remained on the roof. Another dangerous ‘cassette’ was in the courtyard of the building.”
The discovery confirmed that the drone was carrying submunitions intended to expand its strike radius, a configuration Ukrainian authorities say they are encountering more frequently as Russian forces adjust their attack profiles. The DSNS reported that responders immediately isolated the site and began a carefully coordinated neutralization effort designed to minimize risk to civilians and emergency personnel.
To reduce the danger posed by the unexploded ordnance, Ukrainian specialists used a combination of aerial drones and a multi-function ground robot.
According to the DSNS, technicians integrated robotic systems using unmanned platforms to inspect, approach, and secure the scattered fragments without exposing personnel directly to the hazard. The robot was then maneuvered onto the damaged roof, where it “carefully collected all explosive items into a special container,” the agency said. The sealed container was lowered using a crane and transported in an armored disposal vehicle.
All recovered submunitions were subsequently destroyed in a controlled detonation at a designated demolition site, the DSNS confirmed.
In addition to the hazardous materials left behind by the weapon, the attack caused casualties and significant local damage. Ukrainian officials reported that one resident was killed and nineteen were injured. Fourteen private homes and three multi-story residential buildings sustained varying degrees of destruction from the blast wave and falling debris.