Ukrainian brigade says heavy drone evacuated wounded soldier from front line
In short
Ukraine's 92nd Separate Assault Brigade said on Monday that it used a heavy six-rotor drone to carry a wounded soldier out of a position that ground robots could not reach because of landmines and Russian drones. Ukrainian forces describe it as the first such evacuation. Newsweek said it could not independently verify the footage.
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Ukraine's 92nd Separate Assault Brigade said on Monday that it had evacuated a wounded soldier from the front line using a heavy aerial drone. Ukrainian forces describe the mission as the first of its kind. NBC News reported that the brigade shared a video in which the soldier straps himself into a large drone and is flown at what appears to be relatively low altitude before being lowered to the ground, where the operator greets him with 'Welcome back to the ground!' [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
The brigade said landmines and intense enemy drone activity made evacuation by conventional unmanned ground vehicles impossible. 'Specialists from our company took on the responsibility of doing something that no one had done before: evacuating a soldier using an aerial drone,' the brigade wrote on Telegram, according to Business Insider. [ 1 , 2 ]
The craft was a heavy-lift hexacopter made by the Ukrainian company Gurzuf Defence, originally configured as a bomber, according to NBC News and CBS News. CBS News reported, citing the brigade, that it was provided to the military free of charge. Specialists modified it so that it could carry a person without flipping over or swaying excessively, and the new configuration was tested in advance. Newsweek said the hexacopter in the clip appears roughly double the size of the man. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
CBS News, citing the brigade, said four Ukrainian brigades were involved, the operation took seven days to prepare, and the rescue itself lasted about an hour and 15 minutes, during which the drone flew almost 40 miles while other drones were used to distract the Russian military. Business Insider said the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade operated the drone. Tom's Hardware said the infantryman was on the eastern Kharkiv front and quoted an operator with the call sign 'Black', from the 20th Mechanized Battalion, as saying that many people were involved. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Accounts of the soldier differ. NBC News described him as unidentified, while Tom's Hardware gave his call sign as 'Kostya'. CBS News, citing Ukrainian news outlets, named him as Konstantyn Vlasenko of the 30th Separate Brigade, reported to have been stuck for almost 500 days and wounded by a Russian drone earlier this year. Those reports said he carried out partial self-amputations of both legs. The brigade said he is being treated and is recovering. [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]
Napalm, a squad leader and programmer with the brigade identified only by his call sign, called it 'a historic event, at least for our unit', according to Business Insider and Newsweek. Newsweek said it could not independently verify the footage and that it was unclear when or where it was filmed. Business Insider said the unit did not specify the time or place. Gurzuf Defence co-founder Pavlo Feldbloom told CBS News the company 'never set out to create a platform designed exclusively for evacuation'. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Why it matters
Business Insider reported that casualty-evacuation missions have become increasingly robotic this year, with Ukraine's defence ministry saying ground-robot evacuation and logistics missions rose more than threefold between January and August. A Business Insider headline quotes a Ukrainian official calling flying drones a 'lifeline of last resort' for rescuing wounded troops.
Key facts
- The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade said on Monday that it evacuated a wounded soldier from the front line by aerial drone. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The brigade said landmines and intense Russian drone activity made evacuation by ground robots impossible. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The craft was a heavy-lift hexacopter made by the Ukrainian company Gurzuf Defence, originally configured to drop bombs. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- CBS News reported, citing the brigade, that four Ukrainian brigades took part, preparation took seven days, and the rescue took about an hour and 15 minutes. [ 5 ]
- The soldier is undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, according to the brigade. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Business Insider said the unit did not specify when or where the evacuation took place, and Newsweek said it was not clear. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade said it evacuated a wounded soldier from the front line using a heavy aerial drone, and Ukrainian forces describe this as a first. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Landmines and Russian drones meant that evacuation by ground robots was not possible. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The drone was a six-rotor hexacopter from Gurzuf Defence, modified by unit specialists so it could carry a person stably. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- The soldier is being treated and is recovering. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- When and where the evacuation took place. Business Insider and Newsweek say the unit did not specify; Tom's Hardware places it on the eastern Kharkiv front.
- Whether the footage and the 'world's first' claim are accurate. Newsweek said it could not independently verify the footage; the claim comes from Ukrainian military sources.
- The identity and history of the soldier. NBC News says he was unidentified; Tom's Hardware gives the call sign 'Kostya'; CBS News, citing Ukrainian news outlets, names him as Konstantyn Vlasenko, reported to have been stuck for almost 500 days.
- Which unit flew the drone. Business Insider says the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade operated it; Tom's Hardware names an operator with the call sign 'Black' from the 20th Mechanized Battalion.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- NBC News published its report on the brigade's video, dated 19 October. [ 1 ]
- Business Insider published its first report, dated 19 October. [ 2 ]
- Newsweek published its report, dated 19 October. [ 3 ]
- Tom's Hardware published its report, dated 20 October. [ 4 ]
- CBS News published its report, dated 20 October. [ 5 ]
- Business Insider published a follow-up, dated 20 October. [ 6 ]