Russia’s Shturm robotic tank control fails at Tsentr-2026

Putin Demonstration Forced to Rely on Manual Driver

Russia’s heavily promoted Shturm uncrewed combat vehicle repeatedly lost its radio control link during the Tsentr-2026 strategic exercise, forcing operators to rely on a human driver for a presidential demonstration before the machine ultimately bogged down in mud at the Chebarkul training range in the Chelyabinsk region.

The field test failures occurred during the main stage of maneuvers that the Russian Defense Ministry highlighted on Oct. 2, when they stated that the uncrewed combat vehicles provided fire support to assault units. Despite those official accounts, The Defence Blog reported that the experimental vehicle suffered persistent technical breakdowns that undermined its core purpose as a remote-control combat platform.

Control Link Failures Mar Chebarkul Field Tests

Built upon a T-72 tank chassis by Uralvagonzavod, the Shturm system pairs an uncrewed combat vehicle carrying a shortened 125 mm gun with a separate, crewed control vehicle. Operators must remain within a few kilometers and maintain a direct line of sight to steer the ground robot.

During the drills at Chebarkul, however, that critical radio link dropped repeatedly. Fearful of a technical failure during a high-profile inspection by President Vladimir Putin, handlers bypassed the remote-control architecture entirely. A human driver-mechanic physically boarded the tank to pilot it past the viewing stands.

Even with manual intervention, the demonstration faltered. Photographic evidence from the exercises shows the Shturm tilted nose-down into a muddy ditch adjacent to a dirt track, its front hull and tracks sunk into the soil.

From 2018 Roots to the Uralvagonzavod Plant

Development on the Shturm heavy robotic assault system began around 2018, with the first test vehicle spotted at the Uralvagonzavod plant in Nizhny Tagil in July 2025. The platform includes a bulldozer blade and extra armor against shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons, intended primarily for urban combat environments.

Armor Flaws and Doctrine Under Scrutiny

Yet armor expert Andrei Tarasenko has raised sharp doubts regarding its tactical viability. Tarasenko pointed out substantial structural flaws, noting that the vehicle’s engine compartment and turret roof are almost unprotected—the exact locations targeted most frequently by drones in modern warfare.

Tarasenko also questioned the underlying doctrine of the platform. “The idea of this vehicle seems unsuccessful to me: dependence on a command post that has to be 3 to 4 kilometers away and in direct line of sight,” Tarasenko said. “Without proper communications like Starlink, or something similar, there is no point in such a vehicle.”

Frontline Realities and Electronic Warfare

These connectivity constraints pose severe operational hurdles. On the active battlefields of Ukraine, electronic warfare units from both sides jam drones and ground robots daily, rendering stable wireless links far more difficult to maintain than on a controlled military testing ground. Without a reliable signal, the Shturm cannot function as an uncrewed vehicle, while its accompanying control vehicle must still expose its own human crew dangerously close to the front lines.