The Estonian company Milrem Robotics will supply Ukraine with more than 150 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) as part of a defense initiative led by the Netherlands.
According to a statement from the Estonian developer of robotics and autonomous systems, the delivery of 150 THeMIS units will take place within a donation program funded and coordinated by the Netherlands. A significant portion of these vehicles will be assembled and delivered in cooperation with the Dutch company VDL Defentec.
On October 6, Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans joined Milrem Robotics and VDL at the official announcement and signing ceremony held at the VDL plant in Born, the Netherlands.
The deliveries will be carried out by Milrem Robotics Netherlands in close cooperation with VDL Defentec, which is setting up a dedicated final assembly line at its Born facility. This will enable scaling up of production and deliveries to meet future needs and challenges.
Milrem Robotics will also provide comprehensive training for Ukrainian operators and support personnel to ensure effective deployment and maintenance of the systems in the field.
“We are honored to lead this project in partnership with the Netherlands and VDL. The THeMIS platform has already proven its value in combat conditions, and we believe this contribution will significantly strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.
“This initiative highlights the strength of cooperation among partners in the European defense industry and their ability to scale and directly contribute to international security. Establishing the assembly line in Born supports this contribution and creates a foundation for future production and innovation between Milrem Robotics and VDL in the Netherlands,” added Willem van der Leegte, CEO of VDL Groep.
The new systems will complement the 15 THeMIS vehicles already in operation in Ukraine, which have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield since 2022, the company noted.
