Alexander Kokhanovskyy, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, confirmed that fully autonomous drones killed Russian soldiers for the first time during a 2023 test near Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar. The trial involved 10 AI-controlled quadcopters programmed to fly 3-5 kilometers before entering 'Terminator mode,' where onboard AI identifies and engages targets without human oversight.

Kokhanovskyy stated the drones operated with zero human connection—no video feed or control input—killing 'a couple of soldiers, one truck' before human-piloted drones verified the results. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence did not respond to inquiries about the test or current legal frameworks governing autonomous weapons. Ukraine currently prohibits AI at the final interception stage, though Kokhanovskyy advocates for rule changes.

His current company, Aero Center, is developing the ALITA system with 64 interceptor drones launched from 16 pads, capable of reaching 450 kilometers per hour to destroy incoming threats. However, current regulations still require human verification in final targeting phases. The UN has previously called for bans on lethal autonomous weapons, citing concerns about removing human judgment from warfare.

This marks the first confirmed battlefield deaths directly attributed to AI decision-making, despite international humanitarian law requiring human responsibility for targeting decisions. The admission validates long-standing concerns about autonomous weapons systems while highlighting ongoing tensions between military effectiveness and ethical constraints.