UGV Operator
Requirements
- Medical fitness for service — determined by the military medical board (VLK)
- Age 18 to 45
- Spatial thinking and attentiveness
- Calmness and composure during long runs
- Digital literacy, ability to master new equipment quickly
- Ability to work in a team
- Readiness to work in the combat zone
- Driving experience, experience with machinery or drones, or a technical education is a particular advantage
Responsibilities
- Remote control of an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) during tasks
- Delivering ammunition, water and provisions to positions
- Evacuating the wounded using the UGV
- Preparing the vehicle for a run: controls, communications, power, securing the cargo
- Monitoring movement and changing the route when the situation changes
- Working with the unit the task is being carried out for and with the repair team
Terms
- Mobilisation until the end of martial law, or contract service
- Basic and specialist training as required
- Pay: base pay of UAH 21,000 + an additional bonus of up to UAH 100,000 for carrying out tasks in the combat zone — up to UAH 121,000 per month in total, depending on the duration and area of the tasks
- Full social package
- Full provision of protective equipment and military property
- Opportunity to obtain combatant status (UBD)
What is a UGV and who is a UGV operator
A UGV (unmanned ground vehicle) is an uncrewed wheeled or tracked vehicle that an operator controls remotely, from cover. In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, UGV operators have their own military occupational specialty — VOS 129 (according to the Ministry of Defence).
A UGV goes where a person would otherwise have to go. According to the Ministry of Defence, such vehicles carry loads of up to 500 kg, cover dozens of kilometres off-road, evacuate the wounded and carry out engineering and combat tasks.
The essence of the UGV operator's job is simple: every run the robot makes is a run a brother-in-arms did not have to make. The road to a position under the watch of enemy drones is one of the most dangerous parts of the war. Now machines cover some of these routes, and the operator guides them from cover.
Who can become a UGV operator
No experience is needed: the specialty is new to everyone, and most operators learned it after joining the military. You do not need a specific VOS to join either.
What matters:
- Spatial thinking. Through a camera you have no peripheral vision or sense of the vehicle's dimensions, and the machine is heavier and slower than a car
- Planning. The route is chosen taking into account terrain, cover and signal stability: if the signal drops, the vehicle will stop wherever it was lost
- Patience. A run can last for hours, and haste can cost both the cargo and the vehicle
- Willingness to learn. New vehicle models and communications equipment appear all the time
Who finds it easier at the start: drivers, machinery operators, drone operators, and those who have worked with machinery or radio-controlled models. A technical education is a plus, but we take people without one too.
UGV operator duties in the 141st SMB
The most common tasks:
- Logistics. Bringing ammunition, water and food up to positions
- Evacuation. Getting the wounded out of places where it is too dangerous to drive in by car
- Engineering tasks — within the scope set by the commander
- Preparing for a run. Checking controls, communications and power, and securing the cargo firmly
- Guiding along the route. Monitoring movement and changing the route when the situation changes
The operator works as part of a crew: while one person drives the vehicle, another watches the situation and stays in contact with those waiting for the cargo or the wounded soldier. As a matter of principle, we do not name specific routes or locations.
UGV operator training
You do not need an existing VOS or military experience. The path is as follows:
- Basic military training — 51 days
- 141st SMB adaptation course — 14–15 days with instructors who have combat experience
- Specialist UGV operator training: driving on the training range, simple routes, the vehicle's dimensions and handling, then difficult terrain, communications and camouflage
- Working in a crew under the supervision of experienced operators
Since December 2025, the Ministry of Defence has allowed UAV operator schools to train and certify UGV operators as well — specialist training is becoming standardised.
The brigade has mastered ground vehicle maintenance in-house, so experience is passed on internally — from those already doing the job, not from a textbook.
What you are provided with
The brigade provides everything you need: gear and protective equipment, operator equipment and the vehicles themselves.
For this specialty, what is crucial is that the vehicle is running. The 141st SMB has its own UGV maintenance specialists and a dedicated UGV Maintenance Technician position, so vehicles return to service quickly rather than waiting weeks for repair.
The most important thing in this work is people. Every route the robot has driven is a route the infantry did not have to walk under enemy drones.
UGV operator career
Ground vehicles are part of unmanned systems — the fastest-growing field.
- Crew leader — your own team and responsibility for the result
- Other types of vehicle — from logistics platforms to combat ones
- UGV Maintenance Technician — repair and maintenance, if machinery suits you better than the controller
- Instructor — the field is young, and those who mastered it earlier teach others
The specialty is new, and that is an advantage: it is easier to rise in a field that is still taking shape.
In the 141st, what counts is competence, a cool head and initiative. Transferring within the brigade is common practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Logic and process: we answer the key questions about enlistment, training and status.
Apply for this positionWhat is a UGV, in simple terms?
+A wheeled or tracked ground robot controlled remotely from cover. It carries ammunition and provisions to positions, evacuates the wounded and carries out engineering tasks. The operator drives it using a camera feed.
What VOS does a UGV operator have?
+VOS 129 — unmanned ground vehicle operators (according to the Ministry of Defence). You do not need to have it before joining: everyone starts with basic military training (BZVP), and the specialist VOS is assigned after training in the specialty.
Do I need a driving licence or driving experience?
+Formally, no — we train you from scratch. But experience operating vehicles helps you get used to the machine's dimensions and handling faster.
I have no military experience. Can I still join you?
+Yes. Most of our best specialists were civilians yesterday. What matters to us is your motivation. We’ll match a role to your skills: if you understand machinery — you’ll go to the mechanics; if you know electronics — to UAVs or communications. Everything military — we’ll teach you.
How long does training take before deployment to the unit?
+Every recruit completes Basic General Military Training (BGMT) at a training center. After that — additional specialized training depending on the chosen role. We send only the prepared to the line of contact — that is our core principle.
What happens after I fill out the form?
+Your application goes to the recruiting center. Within 24 hours our specialist will call — it’s not an interrogation, just an introduction and answers to your questions. If we’re a match, the brigade issues an official request and our liaison helps you get through the TRC and MMB as fast as possible.
Can I transfer to the 141st SMB from another unit?
+Yes, we consider transfers — including via the Army+ app. Fill out the form and select the status “Active service member” — a recruiter will advise on your real chances and the steps involved.
I am AWOL (SZCh). Can I join?
+The law allows a return to service. If you’re motivated to fight in a sound team — fill out the form and state your status honestly. Our specialists will advise you individually on legal ways to return. Confidentially.
Do you provide uniform and equipment?
+Yes. The brigade fully provides basic kit, body armor, helmets and weapons. Plus — thanks to a strong volunteer network, we have additional technological support: drones, EW, transport.
Similar positions
Didn’t find your role?
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Tell us which role you wantWhat happens after you apply
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01
A call within 24 hours
Your application goes to the recruiting centre and a specialist calls within a day. It is not an interrogation — just an introduction and answers to your questions.
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02
Interview and choosing a role
Together we look at what you can do and where it is most useful. If we are a match, the brigade issues an official request for your transfer.
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03
Enlistment office and medical board — with support
Our liaison helps you get through the enlistment office and the military medical board as fast as possible. You do not navigate the queues alone.
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04
Training first, then the unit
Basic general military training takes 51 days, followed by the brigade’s 14–15 day adaptation course with instructors who have combat experience. We send only prepared soldiers to the front line.