Ukraine used a flying drone to rescue a wounded soldier from a dangerous front-line position in what its military calls the world’s first battlefield evacuation of its kind. The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade released video of the operation on Monday, showing the injured infantryman secured beneath a six-rotor aircraft and lifted into the air.
The soldier, 49-year-old Kostiantyn Vlasenko, served with the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade near Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian media interviews. He had remained at a position east of the Oskil River since June 2025. A fellow serviceman was killed, and Vlasenko suffered severe leg injuries in a Russian drone attack in February. He later lost both legs.
His unit kept him supplied with food, water, and medicine delivered by drones. Attempts to reach him on the ground failed as mines and Russian drones threatened evacuation teams. One robotic rescue vehicle was destroyed before reaching his position.
Ukraine used a flying drone to rescue a wounded soldier
The operation required months of preparation and cooperation among several Ukrainian units. Specialists from the 92nd Brigade worked with manufacturer Gurzuf Defence to adapt its Heavy Shot Ayudag-6, a large drone originally designed to carry military loads. Engineers added evacuation equipment and tested ways to keep the aircraft stable with a person suspended below it.
Ukraine records first-ever aerial drone evacuation of wounded soldier
Ukraine has reportedly carried out the world’s first aerial drone evacuation of a wounded soldier, transporting him 18 kilometres from the frontline to safety.
The soldier, identified by his callsign… pic.twitter.com/Ml9rUiOY77
— Rifnote (@viarifnote) October 19, 2026
An investigation led by Ukrainian outlet Oboronka reported that the rescue took place Oct. 4. The team delivered a harness and video instructions to Vlasenko before sending the aircraft. He secured himself to the lifting system while an operator from the 30th Brigade, known by the call sign “Chornyi,” monitored him through an onboard camera.
The aircraft carried him to an intermediate collection point. Soldiers then transferred him to a ground robot, which traveled another 5 miles, before he was moved by vehicle for emergency medical care.
What the 39-mile mission reveals about future battlefield evacuations
Gurzuf Defence said the drone completed a 39-mile mission lasting about 75 minutes. That figure refers to the aircraft’s overall mission, not necessarily the distance Vlasenko traveled suspended beneath it.
Ukrainian officials said Vlasenko survived and was undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. He was also nominated for the Hero of Ukraine title, according to Oboronka.
The military described the evacuation as a global first, although that claim and the combat circumstances shown in the footage have not been independently verified. Other countries have tested unmanned aircraft for casualty evacuation, but Ukraine says this mission recovered an injured serviceman from an active front-line position.
Gurzuf Defence co-founder Pavlo Feldblium cautioned against treating such flights as routine. “Air rescue is a last resort when there is no other way to save a person,” he told The Kyiv Independent.
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