He Ministry of Defense of Ukraine He has authorized a New robotic terrestrial systemthat adds to the more than 80 Approved from the beginning of the invasion, for operational use by the Armed Forces. Krampus it’s a UGV (acronym in English of non -manned land vehicle) developed and produced in Ukraine that can be equipped with Thermobárica pitchers For offensive and defensive operations. The robot is small in size, but it has a terrible destructive power thanks to this type of weapon that produces a large fire ball and with temperatures up to 2,500 ° C.
As the ministry explains in a statement, Krampus is a system compactboth in size and weight, which can transport comfortably at the back of a truck or in a trailer. Uses two electric motors that allow it to move in a shape Very silent and with its two caterpillars, in the manner of a Minitanqueyou can travel For a wide variety of difficult land Outside the roads – leafy bosque, swamps, sand – and overcome pronounced earrings. It also has the ability to operate in adverse climatic conditionsincluding cold, heat, snow and rain.
The robot has Electronic War Resistant Control channels (EW) and use a battery that gives it an indeterminate autonomy that the ministry specifies in several hours, specifying only that it can remain waiting for long periods and activate when necessary.
As for its reach, the weapon is accurate until 600 meters using a standard diptric type. Can reach the 1,000 meters depending on the visibility and skill of the operator.
RPV-16 reactive thermobáric pitchers
‘The terrestrial robotic system is equipped with video cameras and a arms station with RPV-16 reactive thermobáric pitcherscapable of eliminating enemy personnel and light armor vehicles, ‘says the Ministry.
Thermobárica weapons are not new in Ukraine, but they are among the most feared by the soldiers of both sides. Russia has in its arsenal the Thermobárica cough flamethrowersresponsible for great destruction where he uses them.
The thermobaric system integrated in Krampus is designed to offer A devastating fire power at a short distance. According to the Military Ukrainian medium, when detonating the eye, the system disperses a fine cloud of spray fuel with A diameter of approximately 7 to 8 meters. In just 0.2 seconds, the mixture is inflamed and created a large fireball of up to 2,500 ° C. In addition to the damage caused by fire, a powerful is generated Pressure wave that ‘neutralizes staff’, especially in closed or fortified spaces.
The RPV-16 you use is a Portable thermobárico riverne whose destructive capacity is comparable to that of an artillery projectile of 122 mm. In addition to the explosive and thermal effect, the eye A shrapnel load that is dispersed at high speed When detonating, which increases its lethality.
The whole system, including the eye, weighs some 11 kilogramsand the launch tube measures 900 mm long Its internal diameter is 93 mmwhich gives it an adequate compact format for both its integration in unmanned vehicles and for use by infantry soldiers.
‘Since the beginning of the large -scale invasion, the Ministry of Defense has codified and authorized the operational use of more than 80 terrestrial robotic systems to be deployed in the defense forces, most of them of Ukrainian manufacture. In 2023 about 10 land robotic systems of national production were encoded, more than 50 in 2024 and more than 20 since the beginning of 2025‘, adds the ministry.