Ukrainian Troops Evacuate Two Wounded Soldiers by Air With StarGate CASEVAC Drone in One Week

Ukrainian troops evacuated two seriously wounded soldiers from the battlefield using the StarGate unmanned aerial CASEVAC platform after ground vehicles could not reach their positions, according to footage and information published online by the 475th Separate Assault Regiment CODE 9.2.

The two soldiers, 25-year-old Yevhen, call sign “Izium,” and 24-year-old Artem, call sign “Kolobok,” suffered severe limb injuries while positioned in a gray zone about five kilometers from the Russian border.

Difficult terrain, water obstacles, and the threat of Russian FPV drones made evacuation by ground transport impossible, leaving an airborne extraction as the only available option.

Over the course of one week, CODE 9.2 planned and completed two separate evacuation missions with support from SkyFall, the Ukrainian defense technology company that developed and manufactures StarGate.

The operations required coordination between several units, additional personnel and equipment, and fire support. Ukrainian forces used heavy Vampire strike drones to suppress Russian positions during the evacuations.

During one mission, StarGate flew nearly 30 kilometers to reach the wounded soldier and another 30 kilometers back with him onboard.

Russian forces were actively using electronic warfare in the area in an attempt to suppress GPS navigation completely. Despite the interference, StarGate continued flying using its onboard AI-based navigation system and was able to complete the mission.

The regiment now plans to turn the experience into a permanent capability.

“Going forward, we plan to make changes to the organizational structure of our regiment and create a separate air ambulance section within the medical company,” CODE 9.2 commander Oleksandr Nastenko, call sign “Flint,” stated.

“It will specialize directly in evacuating wounded personnel from the battlefield by air transport,” he added.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Ukraine’s Drones Were Hit by a 10-Day Starlink Speed Limit—What Happened and Why It Matters

Oct 26, 2026 17:58

StarGate is Ukraine’s first specialized unmanned aerial platform developed specifically for battlefield CASEVAC missions. SkyFall designed the system for situations in which conventional vehicles cannot reach wounded troops or where sending ground transport would be too dangerous.

The drone can carry up to 150 kilograms and reach speeds of up to 105 kilometers per hour. Its evacuation module is based on certified medical stretchers, while onboard AI, navigation, and redundant communications systems allow it to continue operating when GPS is jammed or communications are lost.

Days earlier, Ukrainian forces evacuated a soldier who had survived 491 days in an isolated frontline position and lost both feet after being wounded by Russian drones. Conventional ground evacuation was impossible because of mines and intense drone activity, prompting several Ukrainian units to adapt a heavy hexacopter to carry him out.

Help us understand what you already know

Join United24 audience survey