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Open-Sea Battlefield Surgery: Ukrainian Medics Save Soldier Under Russian Fire
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukrainian military medics conducted a life-saving surgical operation under combat conditions in the open sea.
The procedure took place aboard a floating platform without access to standard medical infrastructure, according to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) on January 3.
The details of the event were shared by a member of the medical team operating under the callsign “Tochini.” His statements appeared in public commentary by the Defense Intelligence Directorate and during a national television broadcast.
According to the agency, a wounded Ukrainian servicemember was evacuated to a floating platform in critical condition. The soldier had sustained a traumatic limb amputation, suffered significant blood loss, and was experiencing severe hypothermia. The application of tourniquets had been delayed, complicating the situation.
“The condition was severe,” Tochini said. “The patient was continuously monitored by both the crew and the forward combat medics who had already done significant work before we received him.”
The operation began with aggressive warming measures in approximately 10°C ambient conditions. Once the patient’s vital signs stabilized, the medical team proceeded with surgical intervention directly on the platform. The procedure lasted about 45 minutes.
Following the surgery, the wounded servicemember was transported to shore using boats previously donated as part of the “Boats for HUR” initiative, aimed at equipping Ukraine’s military intelligence forces with watercraft for operations and evacuation.
The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has emphasized that its medical teams are trained to operate under extreme conditions, including on boats, vehicles, helicopters, or makeshift environments.
“We are prepared to operate anywhere—even where the odds of survival appear minimal,” Tochini said.
Earlier, Ukraine’s 4th Rapid Response Brigade “Rubizh” conducted 34 missions using ground robotic systems on the Donetsk front, delivering over 7 tons of supplies and evacuating 21 wounded soldiers, according to the unit.
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