Ukrainian forces conducted a historic front-line medical evacuation using an aerial drone to rescue a wounded soldier who had spent 491 days stranded in a minefield near Kharkiv. The operation, described as the first of its kind in warfare, involved a modified heavy-lift hexacopter drone that flew nearly 40 miles to extract Konstantyn Vlasenko, a 49-year-old infantryman from the 30th Separate Brigade.
The rescue followed a seven-day preparation period involving four Ukrainian brigades, with other drones deployed to distract Russian forces during the operation. Vlasenko, who suffered severe injuries including self-amputated legs, was lifted from the battlefield while clinging to a harness beneath the drone. Ukrainian commanders stated the mission required modifications to the drone’s payload capacity to safely transport a person without instability.
Vlasenko endured extreme conditions after being trapped in a minefield and under heavy Russian drone surveillance, which prevented ground or robotic rescue attempts. Reports indicate he survived by taking shelter in a cast-iron furnace and later in an abandoned school before resorting to self-amputation. Ukrainian forces supplied him via drone drops, including a package from his wife containing a Stephen King novel.
The drone used, a Gurzuf Defence heavy hexacopter, was originally designed as an attack platform but was repurposed for the evacuation. The company behind the drone, Gurzuf Defence, emphasized that while the platform was not exclusively built for rescue missions, its multi-mission modularity made it capable of such operations. The company’s co-founder, Pavlo Feldbloom, noted that the drone’s ability to carry heavy payloads naturally extended to rescue scenarios.
Ukrainian officials confirmed the operation’s success, with the 92nd Assault Brigade stating the evacuation took approximately one hour and 15 minutes. The mission highlights Ukraine’s innovative use of drone technology amid ongoing conflict with Russia, now entering its fifth year. Vlasenko’s survival and rescue have drawn international attention to the challenges of front-line medical evacuations in heavily contested and mined territories.