How Ukraine rescued a soldier via drone

Ukraine has succeeded in a spectacular mission: for the first time, a wounded soldier was flown out of the frontline area with a drone. In the ARD interview he reports how he experienced his rescue.

War against Ukraine When rescue comes by drone As of: October 26, 2026 • 10:17 a.m

Ukraine has succeeded in a spectacular mission: for the first time, a wounded soldier was flown out of the frontline area with a drone. In the ARD interview he reports how he experienced his rescue.

Kostiantyn Vlassenko stayed in a position at the front for almost 500 days. In a Russian drone strike in February, his only comrade was killed and Vlassenko was seriously wounded.

He survived by amputating both of his legs, he tells ARD in an interview. "In April my left leg died because it was full of splinters. And in May I cut off my right leg because it was preventing me from moving."

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Left alone, Vlassenko sought shelter in the rubble of a building. His unit delivered water, food, medicine and even his favorite book by drone. Every day there seemed like an eternity to the soldier.

"Time stands still. I think an hour passed while I tried to hammer some things into my head - some childhood memories, thoughts about my wife, about my child," says Vlassenko. "So while I think an hour has passed, I look at the clock and see it's only been a minute. That was the hardest part."

Spectacular rescue operation: Ukrainian soldier saved from the front with a drone Vassili Golod, ARD Kiev, tagesschau, Das Erste, October 24, 2026 • 8:00 p.m. Mission was planned for two months Finally, his comrades found a way to free Vlassenko from his situation and bring him to safety. Now in October they managed to fly Vlassenko out with a drone.

The unit planned the mission together with the Ukrainian arms company Gurzuv Defense for two months. The company produces large drones. They are used to attack and spy on targets, but they are also used for logistical purposes. And now, for the first time, a person has been evacuated with it.

A very dangerous mission, says Ivan, a spokesman for the drone manufacturer. "We flew over an area where combat operations are constantly taking place. There are dozens of enemy drones patrolling and flying in the air."

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The drone needed 15 minutes to fly more than 16 kilometers. Camera footage from his unit shows Vlassenko flying at a height of 100 meters. He hangs from the drone with straps.

"It went well, I was able to hold on quite well. But when I eventually saw the Oskil River and understood that I had to fly over it, I thought to myself: 'What? I can't swim. If the Russians shoot me down and I fall in there, I won't be able to get out,'" says Vlassenko. "My boys joked, 'And if you had fallen in the woods, would you have gotten up and run?'"

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The soldier is now undergoing extensive rehabilitation. Then he wants to try to make up for all the beautiful moments he missed with his family. "As a father, I - excuse the expression - screwed everything up. The father went to war and missed his only daughter's wedding. Nobody could have known that I wouldn't get out of there," he says.

Vlassenko's drone flight could now be a role model for saving the lives of other soldiers in the future. According to the manufacturer, further evacuation missions with drones are already planned.