The Ukrainian army evacuated a wounded soldier for the first time with the help of an aerial drone

Cristina Petrache

19 October 2026, 15:43

International

Evgeniy Maloletka / AP / Profimedia

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The Ukrainian army successfully evacuated a soldier wounded in combat using an aerial drone, in an operation carried out in an area mined and heavily monitored by Russian drones. The mission was conducted by the Unmanned Ground Systems Company of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, together with other units of the Ukrainian army.

The evacuation was necessary because the use of unmanned ground vehicles was not possible due to the mines and the intense activity of enemy drones. The soldiers modified a hexacopter provided free of charge by the Ukrainian company Gurzuf Defence so that the aircraft, normally used for attacks, could carry a person’s weight without losing its balance.

The operation was described by the 92nd Brigade as historic and, according to the statement cited by EFE and Agerpres, the first of its kind ever carried out. The drone was piloted by an operator from the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the unit to which the wounded soldier belonged. The serviceman was rescued, and his life is not in danger.

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Context: Ukraine was already testing drone tactics in exercises as Russia’s drone bombardments intensify

Before the rescue operation, Ukraine was strengthening its drone capabilities amid the war. During the Combined Resolve military exercise in Germany (held in April and May), Ukrainian drone operators from the 412th Brigade demonstrated an advantage over U.S. forces in simulations, including through the rapid detection of vehicles and the use of electronic warfare tactics.

Meanwhile, massive drone attacks on Ukrainian cities were being reported on the ground: Russia launched 205 drones at Ukraine, and several people were injured in the Kharkiv area after strikes in the Industrialnyi district. In Kyiv and Odesa, authorities reported casualties and damage, while the exchange of attacks came a few days after announcements regarding the possibility of energy infrastructure being spared.