Ukrainian Drone Hauls Wounded Soldiers 60 Kilometers from Front Line

The StarGate drone covered nearly 60 kilometers in a single operation to retrieve two wounded Ukrainian soldiers from a high-risk sector near the Russian border. The aircraft traveled almost 30 kilometers to reach the first casualty and flew the same distance back with the soldier on board. This round-trip distance was necessary because ground extraction was impossible due to enemy fire, difficult terrain, and water obstacles.

The two men rescued were Yevhen, known by the callsign Izium, and Artem, known as Kolobok. Both are members of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, also designated CODE 9.2. They were located in what military officials describe as the grey zone, an area roughly 5 kilometers from the frontline where neither side holds firm control. The unit stated that the men suffered severe limb injuries and required immediate medical attention.

The regiment spent one week preparing for these evacuations. They coordinated with SkyFall, the manufacturer of the StarGate system, to plan the complex missions. To secure the airspace, the Ukrainian defense forces deployed Heavy Vampire attack drones to suppress Russian positions. This fire support allowed the evacuation craft to operate with a reduced risk of being shot down by enemy aircraft or small drones.

Russian forces actively deployed electronic warfare systems in the operational area. These systems attempted to suppress satellite navigation signals, a tactic designed to blind GPS-guided drones. The StarGate drone navigates using an AI-based system that does not rely on standard satellite data. This capability allowed the aircraft to maintain its flight path and complete the extraction despite the interference.

The StarGate is a remotely operated vehicle with a maximum speed of 105 kilometers per hour. It can carry a payload of up to 150 kilograms. For medical missions, the drone is fitted with a dedicated capsule containing a stretcher. SkyFall developed the platform specifically for casualty evacuation and handed it over to the military for frontline testing before these missions.

Oleksandr Nastenko, the commander of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, said the experience will help the unit form a dedicated medical aviation section. He explained that this new branch will specialize in air evacuations. The success of these two rescues follows a similar operation on October 19, when a different drone from Gurzuf Defence was used to extract a wounded soldier for the first time.

The regiment reported that both Izium and Kolobok were successfully brought to safety. The operations demonstrated that aerial extraction can overcome the limitations of the current frontline geography. The use of AI navigation proved effective against the specific electronic countermeasures employed by Russian forces in the sector.