Ukrainian forces evacuate wounded soldier using heavy-lift drone

Ukrainian forces have reported carrying out what they describe as the world’s first frontline casualty evacuation by drone, recovering a severely wounded soldier who had been stranded in contested territory for more than a year.

Kostiantyn Vlasenko, 49, was evacuated using a Heavy Shot Ayudag-6 uncrewed aircraft, following an operation coordinated by Ukraine’s 92nd Assault Brigade.

The soldier, serving with the 30th Mechanized Brigade, had reportedly spent approximately 70 weeks isolated in the Kharkiv region, where landmines and persistent Russian drone activity prevented conventional rescue operations.

Vlasenko had sustained serious injuries to both lower limbs following a Russian drone attack and reportedly amputated part of his right leg himself after developing severe tissue damage.

Coordinated aerial evacuation

According to Ukrainian media reports, the rescue took approximately six months to prepare, with military personnel developing a plan to recover the soldier without exposing ground teams to enemy fire.

The Heavy Shot Ayudag-6, capable of carrying payloads of up to 130kg, was equipped with a winch that allowed Vlasenko to attach himself to the aircraft in a semi-seated position.

A mobile phone containing video instructions was delivered to the soldier ahead of the mission to explain how to secure himself to the evacuation system.

The operation was timed to coincide with a period of reduced Russian drone activity.

Ukrainian forces deployed Vampire bomber drones as decoys to divert Russian air defenses, while artillery targeted enemy drone launch positions.

Helicopters also provided support during the aircraft’s return to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The Ukrainian military subsequently released footage of the evacuation. BBC Verify said it had confirmed the identities of military personnel featured and found no evidence of artificial intelligence manipulation.

Vlasenko survived the operation and was reported to be recovering.

The mission demonstrates the potential of heavy-lift uncrewed aircraft to support casualty evacuation from environments where ground rescue teams and conventional helicopters face substantial threats.

Further reading: AirMed&Rescue recently investigated how uncrewed and optionally piloted aircraft could open up new possibilities for casualty evacuation and rescue missions in high-risk environments.