Russia has its first front-line robot that is capable of shooting targets and guarding important sites. Called the Platform-M, the combat robot has interchangeable sections, making it a versatile tool.

The Russian Army has been showing off the Platform-M combat robot in the city of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula over the weekend, according to Russia Today. This robot has many capabilities useful for Russia's military, allowing it to perform both patrol and offensive tasks.

The robot is remote controlled on a crawler. It is armed with, what appears to be four grenade launchers and Kalashnikov automatic rifles. Though Platform-M sits atop tracks, the chassis and weapons load-out can be exchange for different parts more appropriate to the mission at hand, developer Progress Scientific Research Technological Institute of Izhevsk explained.

According to developer, the Platform-M will be able to perform several duties thanks to its versatility. The developer says the robot can be used "for gathering intelligence, for discovering and eliminating stationary and mobile targets, for firepower support, for patrolling and for guarding important sites."

The robot also has optical-electronic and radio reconnaissance locators, which allow it to perform combat tasks at night. 

The use of robots in the Russian armed forces is a brand new practice, Russia Beyond the Headlines reported in 2014, when the robot was first revealed at the Kaliningrad war games. This was the first time a robot had partaken in such an exercise. In the past, this type of technology was only seen at exhibitions. Now, the robot may be ready for real life combat. 

The military exposition held on Sunday at the seaside city showcased a wide range of weapons available to the Russian military to hundreds of spectators. Sevastopol is also the home of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Spectators observed weaponry from "Bastion" air defense and complex anti-ship missile systems, as well as sniper rifles and special ops naval guns.

At the event, over 1,500 people applied for contract service in the Russian military, Admiral Aleksandr Vitko told RT.

Take a look at the Platform-M combat robot in action:

And here is another look at the Platform-M: