Ukraine to receive over 150 THeMIS combat robots from the Netherlands and Estonia

The Estonian developer of robotics and autonomous systems announced this in a statement, Ukrinform reports.

The delivery of 150 THeMIS vehicles will take place under a donation program funded and coordinated by the Netherlands. A significant portion of the systems will be assembled and supplied in cooperation with the Dutch company VDL Defentec.

On 6 October, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans joined representatives of Milrem Robotics and VDL for the formal signing ceremony at the VDL plant in Born, the Netherlands.

Deliveries will be carried out by Milrem Robotics Netherlands in close cooperation with VDL Defentec, which is establishing a dedicated final assembly line at its Born facility. This will allow production and supply to be scaled up to meet future operational demands.

Milrem Robotics will also provide comprehensive training for Ukrainian operators and support personnel to ensure effective field deployment and maintenance, the company said.

“We are honoured to lead this project in partnership with the Netherlands and VDL. The THeMIS platform has already demonstrated its value under combat conditions, and we believe this contribution will materially strengthen Ukraine’s defense capability,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.

“This initiative highlights the strength of cooperation between partners in Europe’s defense industry and their ability to scale up and contribute directly to international security. Establishing the assembly line in Born supports this donation and creates a foundation for future production and innovation between Milrem Robotics and VDL in the Netherlands,” said Willem van der Leegte, CEO of VDL Groep.

According to Milrem Robotics, the new systems will complement 15 THeMIS vehicles already operating in Ukraine, which have demonstrated their effectiveness on the battlefield since 2022.

As reported, Milrem Robotics earlier sold six THeMIS UGVs to the French company CNIM Systèmes Industriels for delivery to Ukraine.

The THeMIS is a highly versatile unmanned ground platform designed to support infantry units, logistics, reconnaissance, and combat operations. It is currently used or tested in 19 countries, making it the most widely adopted unmanned ground vehicle in its class.

Photo: milremrobotics.com