Explainer
How did a drone pull a wounded soldier out of a battle zone?
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The Ukrainian army says a drone pulled a wounded soldier out of a combat zone near Kupiansk, calling it a world first. Ground evacuation was ruled out because of landmines and heavy enemy drone activity.
Kupiansk
The machine is a heavy hexacopter from Gurzuf Defence, and Observador reports it can carry up to 135 kg, enough for an adult.
135kg
Most reports put the flight at 62 kilometres, though one Romanian report gives a longer distance, citing the maker.
62km
A German report puts the flight at 74 minutes. The maker calls the air route an exception, and Ukraine's first-ever claim cannot be checked independently.
74min
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The story
Ukraine says a heavy drone evacuated a wounded soldier from a mined front lineRead the article
Based on reports by
- RzeczpospolitaHe lost one leg, amputated the other himself. Video of Ukrainian evacuation by drone went around the world
- BBCUkraine claims to have rescued a wounded soldier using a drone
- 7sur7“A world first”: a wounded Ukrainian soldier evacuated by drone
- De Morgen▶ Ukraine rescues wounded soldier after nearly 500 days with heavy transport drone: “World premiere at the front”
- Ziare.com491 days in the “gray zone”, with both legs amputated. How a Ukrainian soldier was evacuated for the first time in the world with a heavy drone
- watson.ch/This drone flight rescue of a wounded soldier is a first in Ukraine