A Ukrainian soldier who was seriously wounded and stranded at an isolated frontline position, surrounded by minefields and Russian drones, was rescued by a heavy-lift aerial drone that carried him through the air to safety.
Ukraine's military released footage of the operation today (Monday), claiming it was the first operation in the world in which a wounded soldier was evacuated directly from the front lines using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
The soldier, 49-year-old Kostiantyn, served in the Ukrainian Army's 30th Mechanized Brigade in the Kupiansk area of the Kharkiv region. According to the Northern Ukraine Military Medical Center, he was left alone at an observation post after his fellow soldier was killed in a Russian attack. Kostiantyn himself suffered injuries to both legs that ultimately required their amputation.
During the time he remained at the position, his comrades attempted to rescue him through various means. However, intensive Russian drone activity and the mine-covered terrain made evacuation by land particularly dangerous. Attempts to use unmanned ground vehicles were also unsuccessful.
According to Ukrainian reports, the soldier remained at the position for an extended period, during which his comrades maintained contact with him and delivered food, water, ammunition, and medicine using drones. Even after being wounded, he continued waiting for rescue.
After other evacuation attempts failed, personnel from the 92nd Brigade, working with additional units, decided to use an Ayudag-6 heavy-lift drone equipped with six propellers and manufactured by the Ukrainian company Gurzuf Defence.
The drone was originally designed to carry heavy cargo. For this mission, it was adapted to transport a person while maintaining stability in the air and preventing sudden movements that could endanger the wounded soldier.
According to the Ukrainian military, unit personnel worked with the manufacturer to develop the necessary technical solution, conducted preliminary tests, and coordinated the operation with the units operating in the area.
First, special harness equipment was delivered to the soldier. The heavy-lift drone was then dispatched to carry him away from his position. Footage released by the military shows the soldier attached to the drone by a harness and lifted off the ground.
The drone was remotely operated by an unmanned aerial vehicle operator from the 30th Brigade. The operation also involved the 14th Mechanized Brigade, the 92nd Brigade, the 10th Corps, and representatives of the manufacturing company.
Following the rescue, Kostiantyn was transferred for medical treatment.
According to the military medical center, the supplies delivered to him by drones while he remained at the position included medicines and antibiotics, which helped prevent serious complications from his injuries.
The soldier recounted that during his time at the position, Russian forces attempted to persuade him to surrender, including by repeatedly broadcasting messages. He said he refused to surrender and continued waiting for his comrades.
He later said that members of his unit, his commanders, and the drone operator who rescued him continued supporting him even after he arrived at the hospital.
He described the sense of security he felt knowing that his comrades had not given up on rescuing him.
According to the Ukrainian military, his life is no longer in danger. He is expected to undergo rehabilitation, receive prosthetic limbs, and undergo psychological treatment.
Ukraine's military described the operation as the world's first rescue of a wounded soldier using an aerial drone directly from a frontline position.
The professional defense publication Janes also described the incident as the first documented evacuation of its kind using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
According to the report, the drone used in the operation was a six-rotor aircraft, and the footage shows the soldier securing himself to the carrying system before being lifted into the air.