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Milrem Robotics to Deliver 150+ THeMIS Unmanned Vehicles to Ukraine With Dutch Support
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Milrem Robotics, the world’s leading developer of robotic and autonomous systems, will supply more than 150 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to Ukraine as part of a donation funded and coordinated by the Netherlands, the company reported on October 6.
A large portion of the vehicles will be assembled in cooperation with the Dutch company VDL Defentec.
The donation was first announced in September, though the contributing country was not revealed at the time. On October 6, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans joined representatives from Milrem Robotics and VDL for a formal announcement and signing ceremony at VDL’s facility in Born to confirm the agreement.
The deliveries will be carried out by Milrem Robotics Netherlands in close collaboration with VDL Defentec, which is setting up a dedicated final assembly line at its Born site. The facility is designed to be scalable, allowing for expanded production and additional deliveries if required.
“We are honoured to lead this project in partnership with the Netherlands and VDL. The THeMIS platform has already demonstrated its value under combat conditions, and we believe this contribution will materially strengthen Ukraine’s defense capability,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.
Milrem Robotics will also provide comprehensive training for Ukrainian operators and technical personnel to ensure effective field use and maintenance.
VDL Groep CEO Willem van der Leegte said the initiative demonstrates the strength of cooperation within Europe’s defense industry and its capacity to expand and contribute directly to international security. He noted that establishing the assembly line in Born would support the donation and lay the groundwork for future production and innovation between Milrem Robotics and VDL in the Netherlands.
The new vehicles will join 15 THeMIS units already deployed in Ukraine, which have been supporting Ukrainian forces on the battlefield since 2022.
Earlier, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced that the Netherlands will contribute $59 million to the World Bank’s trust fund to support Ukraine’s recovery efforts.
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