Drone-maker Alexander Kokhanovskyy disclosed that ten fully autonomous AI drones killed Russian soldiers during a Ukrainian counteroffensive near Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar, marking what he described as the first use of completely autonomous lethal systems on the battlefield. Speaking to the New Scientist on 10 Jun 2026, Kokhanovskyy said the drones operated with no human control in a one-time test experiment, flying up to five kilometers before activating what he termed 'Terminator mode' to engage targets. The disclosure contradicts Ukraine's official policy banning AI from making final lethal decisions and has intensified international debate over autonomous weapons, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres stating there is 'no place for lethal autonomous weapon systems in our world.'
Kokhanovskyy Describes Autonomous Drone Operation Near Bakhmut
Kokhanovskyy, who supplied the technology, told the New Scientist the ten quadcopters were sent into enemy territory during fighting near Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar. He stated: "We tried it. It's a test. We never implemented it [more widely]." The drones were programmed to hunt targets independently with no connection to their handlers. "We just launch it and we know everything will be dead – everything that will be found there in this particular area will be dead," Kokhanovskyy said. "There is no connection to the drone at all, you cannot see the video, nothing. Everything it sees will be killed."
Drones Operated Without Human Oversight in Test Mission
The quadcopters flew up to five kilometers over trenches before activating what Kokhanovskyy called "Terminator mode" to identify and engage targets. Because the drones severed all ties with their operators, commanders had no visibility into the machines' actions during the mission. Human-piloted spy drones were flown into the area afterward to assess results, discovering a destroyed truck and dead troops, according to Kokhanovskyy's account.
UN and Experts Raise Ethical Concerns Over Autonomous Weapons
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated: "There is no place for lethal autonomous weapon systems in our world." Mariarosaria Taddeo from the University of Oxford said: "It's not just problematic, it's horrendous. Do we want to be the society who kills other people, who allows their government to kill other people, without humans being involved?" The New Scientist report notes that while militaries worldwide use AI to process data and track targets, a human operator is almost always required to authorize lethal strikes.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence Maintains Ban on Autonomous Strikes
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence has not commented on the reported test. Official Ukrainian rules currently prohibit AI from making final lethal decisions to attack. Major Danylo Polozhukhno from Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps stated: "We do not use fully autonomous drone systems that independently select and engage targets without any operator involvement." He said Ukrainian systems track targets automatically but require human authorization for strikes.
Kokhanovskyy Lobbies to Change Restrictions on AI Weapons
Kokhanovskyy stated the autonomous drone project has been discontinued due to government restrictions. He is now developing a rapid-fire drone battery capable of launching 64 interceptors at 450 kilometers per hour. When asked if he wants rules changed to permit autonomous killing, Kokhanovskyy responded: "I would love to."
FAQ
What did Alexander Kokhanovskyy disclose about autonomous drones in Ukraine?
Alexander Kokhanovskyy told the New Scientist on 10 Jun 2026 that ten fully autonomous AI drones killed Russian soldiers during a Ukrainian counteroffensive near Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar in a one-time test. The drones operated with no human control, flying up to five kilometers before engaging targets in what he called "Terminator mode."
What is Ukraine's official policy on autonomous weapons?
Ukraine's official rules currently ban AI from making final lethal decisions to attack. Major Danylo Polozhukhno from Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps stated that Ukrainian forces do not use fully autonomous drone systems that independently select and engage targets without operator involvement. The Ministry of Defence has not commented on Kokhanovskyy's reported test.
Why did the UN express concern about autonomous weapons?
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated there is "no place for lethal autonomous weapon systems in our world." Mariarosaria Taddeo from the University of Oxford called machine-led executions "horrendous," questioning whether society should allow governments to kill without human involvement.
