New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) are emerging as a critical new element of the Russia-Ukraine war, taking on some of the most dangerous frontline tasks as Ukraine tries to offset manpower shortages and reduce soldiers' exposure on a battlefield saturated with drones.

Ukrainian military units are increasingly deploying four-wheeled and tracked ground robots for combat, logistics, ammunition deliveries and casualty evacuations.

The shift is part of a broader effort to use unmanned systems not just in the air, but increasingly on the ground, as the war stretches into its fifth year.

Reuters reported from a workshop near the frontline in northeastern Ukraine, where military mechanics were preparing four-wheeled unmanned...