Ukrainian Soldier Rescued by Heavy-Lift Drone After 491 Days in Frontline Kill Zone
Ukrainian soldier Kostiantyn Vlasenko survived 491 days in a frontline kill zone before an unprecedented heavy-lift drone rescue mission saved his life.
POLICY WIRE — Kharkiv, Ukraine — In a historic first for modern warfare, Ukrainian forces successfully evacuated a wounded soldier from the front lines using a heavy-lift aerial drone. The operation marked a significant milestone in the ongoing conflict, as military units utilized advanced technology to reach a serviceman trapped behind enemy lines.
Kostiantyn Vlasenko, a volunteer from Kryvyi Rih serving with the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, endured 491 days within a dangerous frontline kill zone. According to reports from Oboronka on October 19, Vlasenko spent months hiding in a cramped concrete pipeline alongside a comrade identified as Baski, as swarms of Russian drones made traditional extraction impossible.
The soldier’s survival story is marked by extreme hardship, including the loss of both feet. In a desperate bid to stay alive while isolated, Vlasenko reportedly amputated his own frostbitten leg. The details of his ordeal were shared following an interview with military journalist Yurii Butusov.
Ukrainian military officials confirmed that the mission to airlift the soldier was an unprecedented rescue operation. The use of a heavy-lift drone to extract a wounded infantryman from the battlefield is considered a first in the history of the full-scale war against Russia.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
