A wounded Ukrainian soldier, Artem Lytvyn, known by the call sign 'Kolobok,' was rescued by a heavy-lift drone after sustaining injuries from a landmine. The operation highlights the establishment of a dedicated aerial drone evacuation unit by Ukraine's Code 9.2 regiment.
Lytvyn had been stranded for several days after stepping on a magnetic mine while escorting a fellow soldier. Attempts to evacuate him via ground drones were deemed too risky for rescue teams. With his condition worsening, the regiment deployed a drone, referred to as StarGate, to perform the aerial extraction.
Footage shared by former Ukrainian deputy interior minister Anton Gerashchenko shows Lytvyn crawling on his knees toward the drone before being lifted into a specially designed protective stretcher and flown above the trees. The drone completed a 30-minute journey in approximately 30 minutes, a trip that would typically take assault troops around a week on foot, according to Gerashchenko. Within two hours of extraction, Lytvyn reached a stabilization point and was subsequently treated by paramedics. "These are miracles," Lytvyn said from inside an ambulance.
This marked the fourth aerial evacuation by Code 9.2, with each operation supported by aerial reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems to navigate challenging terrain. The regiment's efforts follow a previous extraordinary rescue of another soldier, Kostiantyn Vlasenko, who lost both legs and was stranded behind enemy lines for an extended period. His evacuation in October was reportedly the first unmanned aerial evacuation of a wounded serviceman in military history, involving a modified bomber drone that carried him 11 miles to safety.