The Ukrainian Robot That Battled A Russian Armored Vehicle Has A Name: Droid TW-12.7

The robot killed at least four Russians in the unplanned clash

Droid TW-12.7 prepares to engage. 5th Assault Brigade capture

The Ukrainian unmanned ground vehicle that engaged a Russian MT-LB armored vehicle in a nighttime skirmish on a road outside Kostyantynivka in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast on or just before Nov. 29 has a name: Droid TW-12.7.

“12.7” is almost certainly a reference to the ’bot’s .50-caliber, 12.7-millimeter M2 heavy machine gun.

Now Droid TW-12.7 has an official body count, too, according to its operator—the 5th Assault Brigade. After shooting up that MT-LB during a unplanned clash, Droid TW-12.7 (or some other surveillance system with thermal capability) spotted at least four Russian bodies in the forest near the road.

The tracked Droid TW-12.7, equipped with thermal night vision, was reportedly on a combat trial—crawling around the battlefield at nighttime for testing purposes—when the Russian MT-LB rolled toward it on the same road.