Russia’s new ‘robot dog war machine’ is just Chinese ‘toy’ with gun taped on

Russia's new grenade launcher-carrying robot dog weapon is actually just a Chinese home bot and "essentially a toy".

The robodog was recently shown off at an arms convention sponsored by the Russian Ministry of Defence in Moscow.

The developers – Intellect Machines JSC – were interviewed by Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti and bragged it could be a fearsome tool for Vladimir Putin's arsenal, "capable of conducting aimed shooting and transporting weapons".

READ MORE: Putin ally calls for 'nuclear strike' on NATO as 'Europe has entered war with Russia'

Dubbed the M-81 Complex, the robot dog appeared in a video online moving rapidly around the exhibition hall with a giant RPG strapped to its back.

When the images first emerged many people on Twitter poked fun at the machine, saying it looked like a number of robot pets that are readily available to buy online.

According to The Insider – a media outlet that investigates Russian propaganda – it looks like a toy robot because it is one.

Specifically, it was identified as a Go1 bot made by Chinese company Unitree Robotics and available to buy on their website for £2,237 to £2,900.

The model has been available for over a year and can be distinguished by its "octagonal" head, which was not disguised despite the Russian firm covering it in black cloth.

The Insider described it as "essentially a toy".

What's more, Russian news presented the machine as if it could be used in war, but its specs state that it can only carry 3kg and hold charge for four hours.

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Moreover, customer reviews say the battery life is often much shorter and the advertised top speed of 17 km/h is more like 5 km/h.

Another aspect that would make it useless in battle is its lack of protection against hacking.

The Insider report states: "Hackers discovered that the robot had a vulnerability that allowed them to intercept its signal and immobilize the robot with a universal Flipper Zero remote control developed by Russian amateur engineers."

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