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Inside Ukraine’s Daring Rescue: Robot Saves Soldier After 33 Days Behind Enemy Lines

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Photo of Ivan Khomenko
Ivan Khomenko
News Writer
A Ukrainian medic reaches into the MAUL ground robot’s armored capsule to begin stabilizing a wounded soldier immediately after evacuation. (Source: First Separate Medical Battalion)
A Ukrainian medic reaches into the MAUL ground robot’s armored capsule to begin stabilizing a wounded soldier immediately after evacuation. (Source: First Separate Medical Battalion)

Ukrainian Armed Forces have carried out a unique evacuation mission codenamed “GVER”—short for Tracked Military Evacuation Robot—rescuing a severely wounded soldier from a Russian-occupied settlement after 33 days of failed rescue attempts, according to the First Separate Medical Battalion of Ukraine.

The operation, reported by battalion’s official channel, involved the use of ground robotic platforms to reach the wounded serviceman stranded deep behind enemy lines.

Six earlier attempts to retrieve him had failed, resulting in the loss of several unmanned vehicles, including those from supporting units.

The seventh mission succeeded, covering a total route of 64 kilometers — 37 of which were driven on a damaged wheel after the robot hit a landmine. The mission lasted five hours and fifty-eight minutes, maintaining an average speed of 13 km/h and peaking at 29 km/h, according to the battalion’s statement.

During the mission, the unmanned vehicle sustained mine damage but remained operational. On the return route, it was attacked by a Russian drone that dropped an explosive, though the wounded soldier survived unharmed thanks to an armored capsule.

After reaching friendly territory, medics administered first aid and stabilized his condition. “‘GVER’ proved that modern robotic platforms can save lives where conventional vehicles cannot operate,” the battalion wrote.

The system used in the operation was identified as the MAUL wheeled ground robot, capable of reaching speeds up to 70 km/h and designed with a protective capsule for casualty evacuation. Built on an ATV chassis and powered by a diesel engine, MAUL units are valued between 1 and 1.5 million hryvnias (approximately $25,000 to $40,000).

Earlier, the Ukrainian National Guard’s 13th “Khartia” Brigade used a “Zmiy-500” ground drone to evacuate a wounded soldier over a 34-kilometer route in a dual mission that also delivered frontline supplies. The drone successfully navigated damaged roads and drone threats, completing the task without incident.

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