Ukraine Evacuates Wounded Soldier With Heavy-Lift Drone

A Ukrainian soldier who lost both legs in combat has been evacuated from a contested position in the Kharkiv region using a modified heavy-lift drone, in an operation Ukraine's military describes as the first of its kind. The rescue involved the 92nd Assault Brigade, the 10th Army Corps and Ukrainian drone manufacturer Gurzuf Defence after landmines and Russian drone activity prevented conventional evacuation attempts.

The 49-year-old serviceman, identified as Kostiantyn, was injured while holding an observation position in the Kupiansk sector. According to Ukraine's Military Medical Clinical Center of the Northern Region in Kharkiv, he is receiving treatment after several operations and faces prosthetic fitting, rehabilitation and psychological support.

The Ukrainian military said the soldier had been stranded for days after his comrade was killed in an attack involving explosives dropped from drones. Attempts to reach him using different methods, including unmanned ground vehicles, failed amid continuing threats from Russian forces.

The rescue team adapted a Ukrainian-made Heavy Shot Ayudag-6 hexacopter, originally designed to carry heavy payloads and munitions. New equipment included a harness, an electric winch, enhanced flight stability and communications technology intended to help the aircraft operate amid electronic interference.

According to New Atlas, the drone weighs 98 kilograms (216 pounds) and can carry a payload of up to 130 kilograms (287 pounds). The aircraft was operated by personnel from the 92nd Brigade's Unmanned Systems unit, which coordinated the extraction across more than 15 kilometers of contested territory.

Before the flight, the team recorded instructions on a phone to show Kostiantyn how to put on the harness and secure himself to the aircraft. A camera was installed on the drone so operators could check that he was ready before lifting him from the position.

Ukraine's military released video showing the soldier being carried beneath the large hexacopter before it lowered him at a safer location. Ground personnel then transported him to Kharkiv Military Hospital for further treatment.

Kostiantyn described the psychological pressure he faced while isolated at the position, saying Russian forces tried to persuade him to surrender through repeated audio messages.

"Although the Russians urged me to surrender, I couldn't allow myself to do that. They dropped either a loudspeaker or a gramophone and tried to put psychological pressure on me. I remember it all word for word because the recording kept playing over and over: 'Buddy, we know you're here.

Your comrades won't help you. Did you hear that explosion? The next one could hit you.

A white light will lead you out. And then it's captivity, an exchange, and home!'" Kostiantyn said.

He also recounted how he responded to the messages before Russian forces dropped additional explosives on his position.

"I simply shouted: 'Russian warship, go f... yourself!' And that was it. After that, they dropped two anti-tank mines on me..." Kostiantyn said.

During his isolation, Ukrainian forces continued delivering food, water and medical supplies by drone, including antibiotics, painkillers and antiseptic products. Hospital staff said these deliveries helped prevent serious complications while he waited for evacuation.

Kostiantyn expressed gratitude to the commanders and fellow soldiers who continued supporting him throughout the ordeal.

"I'm very grateful to my command, especially my company commander, who kept everything under control. They kept dropping medicines for me along with food and water: Betadine, antibiotics, painkillers and other things," Kostiantyn said.

He later described the support he received as central to his determination to survive.

"They are all my angels now, especially the pilot. He came to visit me in the hospital. The general came too, and the drone manufacturers brought me gifts...

Where did I find the strength, and how did I hold on? I don't know. God helped me.

The support from my command kept me going. I have a very good company commander and very good guys, my comrades. They were all deeply worried about me.

And it was precisely this – knowing that someone was thinking about me and that no one had abandoned me – that kept me going all this time," Kostiantyn said.

Artem Bohomolov, commander of the 10th Army Corps, said the rescue required extensive coordination among military units because conventional evacuation methods could not reach the wounded soldier.

"There was no other way to save him. What was done had absolutely never been done before in Ukraine. I cannot say whether similar operations have been carried out elsewhere in the world.

The planning was lengthy and meticulous. Dozens of people worked to save one man. The planning involved Unmanned Systems Forces, artillery units, electronic warfare units and air defense units.

But every life saved is worth many, many hours of work," Bohomolov said.

Ivan, a director at Gurzuf Defence, said the distance and battlefield conditions made the operation particularly demanding.

"This is the first mission in the history of the war in which a person has been evacuated by an aircraft. I think everyone understands how challenging it was: you weren't carrying someone one or two kilometers, or even 10, but more than 15 kilometers. And you knew that aerial combat was ongoing and electronic jamming was constant. That entails enormous responsibility," Ivan said.

Taras Maksimov, commander of the 14th Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Roman the Great, said cooperation between military units and the manufacturer helped make the mission possible.

"No one fights alone, and unconventional thinking usually leads to success. We knew that an aircraft like this was being built for one of the brigades. We contacted the manufacturer and the brigade – the 92nd – and they agreed to help, sending both the aircraft and their specialists to assist us," Maksimov said.

A serviceman identified by the call sign Vader, from the 92nd Assault Brigade's Unmanned Ground Systems Company, described the extensive security effort surrounding the flight.

"An incredible number of people and various units were involved in providing cover for the aircraft's flight. It was like 'Star Wars' – a huge operation, a real buzz!" Vader said.

The evacuation comes as Ukraine expands its use of unmanned aircraft for military operations and medical logistics. NBC News reported that the Ukrainian government had approved an experimental project to transport medical supplies, blood samples and donor organs between hospitals using drones, with flights coordinated with military authorities.