Ukrainian soldier rescued by heavy drone

In early October, a Ukrainian soldier from the 30th Independent Mechanized Brigade was transported by a heavy drone from a combat zone that had been inaccessible to evacuation vehicles for over a year. The soldier, Kostiantyn Vlasenko, had been left alone after his comrade was killed and had to amputate his own foot following a Russian drone strike.

Soldier’s ordeal and injuries

Vlasenko had gone to the front near Kupiansk with a comrade on June 2, 2025, but they were forced to take shelter in an abandoned building. After his partner was killed, Vlasenko was left alone and had to cut off his right foot with a knife. He was later seriously injured in both legs by a Russian drone strike, leading to the loss of his left foot and the need for another self-amputation.

Evacuation challenges and solution

With landmines and FPV drones making conventional evacuation impossible, members of the 92nd Assault Brigade devised a plan to use a heavy hexacopter called "Ayudag-6" from Gurzuf Defence. This drone, originally designed for logistics, had a payload capacity of 90 kg and could lift up to 130 kg. The operation took over six months to plan.

Operation details and success

The evacuation took place at dusk when enemy drone activity was weakest, with Vampire drones used as a diversion. The flight lasted about 1h30, and Vlasenko remained in contact with an operator via a camera and microphone. The operation required close monitoring of airspace and electronic warfare protection, according to Kyiv Independant.

Future of aerial evacuations

While drone evacuations are becoming more common, this was the first aerial evacuation of a wounded soldier. Ukraine has also tested the StarGate, an aerial medical evacuation drone developed by SkyFall, which can carry 150 kg with a covered medical stretcher, potentially offering a more suitable solution.