‘My biggest fear was being shot down’: how an injured Ukrainian soldier was evacuated by drone
Artem Lytvyn tells of complex and risky rescue operation after he spent eight days stricken in Kharkiv’s ‘kill zone’
TL;DR
- Artem Lytvyn, a 25-year-old Ukrainian soldier, was severely wounded when he stepped on a mine near the Russian border in the Kharkiv region.
- He spent eight days stranded in a forward position, with initial evacuation attempts by land robots and stretcher parties failing due to difficult terrain and constant drone surveillance.
- A specialized, heavy-lift drone, StarGate, manufactured by SkyFall, was deployed for a risky, unprecedented rescue operation.
- The drone successfully evacuated Lytvyn, who was then taken for surgery and is now recovering in a military hospital.
- The incident highlights Ukraine's rapid innovation in drone technology for military applications, including casualty evacuation, amidst the ongoing conflict.