Mini "terminator" robots are being deployed by Ukraine's forces in its fight against invading Russian troops.
The war machines - which carry a 7.62 assault machine gun and runs of wheels - are believed to already be in action on the frontline.
Ukrainian manufacturer Temerland has prototyped the armed robots for use in scouting missions against Putin's relentless fighters, the Mirror reports.
The first version of the so-called GNOM drone, which weighs 110lb and is two foot long, can be controlled by soldiers hidden hundreds of feet from the robots location.
The Ukrainian army is using the Unmanned Ground Vehicle as a surveillance platform and as a way of transporting small pieces of equipment, however it is now being modified into a deadly weapon.
It is believed it was first deployed to the south east Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, one of the last bastions of Ukraine defence in the embattled region.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees have in recent months fled to the large city, which is now ringed by deep defence trench lines as troops prepare to fight off Russian attackers.
But the GNOM may play a key role as a highly-sophisticated computer “neural” software inside enables the machine to learn patterns and tasks so they can be repeated.
Sources say it is currently controlled by a wire which cannot be seen from above and that the machine’s technology makes it virtually undetectable.
The 7.62 mm assault gun it is fitted with is the same large calibre machine as an AK47 rifle, commonly used by both Ukrainian and Russian troops.
And its electronic engine drives a 4x4 wheel system allowing it more easily to traverse the rough terrain of urban or countryside battlefields.
A security source told the Daily Mirror: “The technology does exist already in bomb dispoosal machines, offering the controller the ability to see and direct a machine towards the threat.
“Such machinery has become extremely sophisticated but it seems this GNOM is designed silently to approach the enemy positions directly and spy on them, possibly allowing them to direct artillery onto the target accurately, or to launch and effective ground assault.
“This would also give the operator a distinct advantage in saving the risk to life of defending troops and, if the surveillance package is sophisticated enough, allowing the gun to open fire either lethally or as a diversion whilst some other attack is launched.”
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