The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has officially greenlit the fielding of the “Krampus” mobile flamethrower for the armed forces.
The locally developed unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is designed with compact architecture and tonnage, allowing it to be rapidly transported with a trailer or pickup truck.
Its main features are video cameras for intelligence and threat detection, as well as the RPV-16 rocket-propelled thermobaric flamethrower for use against enemy troops and light-class armored vehicles.
According to the defense ministry’s defense equipment arm, the Krampus employs a control module that sustains connectivity in all weather.
It runs on twin electric motors with a low-noise feature and a tracked chassis for maneuverability off-road in sand, swamp, thickets, and steep terrain.
Additionally, the land-based drone’s battery capacity covers “several hours” of continuous driving or standby during missions.
Recent Ground Drones
The employment of the Krampus increases the total number of combat support UGVs in the Ukrainian military service to 80, the defense ministry said.
About 10 of these were domestically manufactured and inducted in 2023, while still more were integrated last year.
In 2025, over two dozen UGVs entered service, including the “Spider” system, which has a payload capacity of 50 kilograms (110 pounds) for logistics and engineering tasks.
This year’s batch also features the “Donkey” system, which can transport 200 kilograms (441 pounds) of equipment and pull vehicles the size of an SUV.
