Ukraine evacuates wounded soldier by modified bomber drone

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 17:02 · Archive

Ukraine has evacuated a wounded soldier from the front line using an aerial drone in what the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade has described as a world-first operation. The infantryman, callsign 'Kostya', was wounded while alone in position on the eastern Kharkiv front. As he was surrounded by Russian kamikaze drones and the terrain was heavily mined, conventional rescue by team or ground vehicle was not possible.

Commanders deployed a heavily modified bomber drone, the Ayudag-6 hexacopter, piloted by 'Chornyi' of the 30th Mechanised Brigade. The 80-kilogramme soldier strapped himself to a harness on the drone's underbelly and was lifted into the sky and carried 18 kilometres away from the frontline to safety. He was flanked by a fleet of smaller Ukrainian drones armed with nets to protect against enemy aircraft.

According to the drone's manufacturer, Gurzuf Defence, the soldier had spent almost a year and a half in a dangerous combat position and could not have been reached by conventional means without deadly risk to a rescue team. After landing, he was met by comrades who arranged his onward evacuation to hospital. The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade's drone unit said 'the wounded person was saved' and he is now undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. Ukraine has previously used unmanned ground vehicles for battlefield evacuations, but this was the first reported instance of an aerial drone being used for the purpose.

How it is being reported

• Ukraine deploys drone to airlift wounded soldier in 'world-first' operationUkraine has evacuated a wounded soldier from the front line using an aerial drone in what a Ukrainian army brigade has described as a world-first operation. The successful mission highlights the growing role of unmanned technology in battlefield evacuations as drones continue to shape the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.France 24 · 19 Oct, 16:44
• Ukraine carries out first ever aerial drone evacuation of a wounded soldier from the frontlineUkraine has conducted the first ever unmanned aircraft evacuation of an injured soldier off the battlefield in the history of warfare.Daily Mail · 19 Oct, 14:38

In this story: Ukraine · Kharkiv · 92nd Separate Assault Brigade · 30th Mechanised Brigade · Russia · Gurzuf Defence

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