475th Regiment Extracts Two Wounded Soldiers via AI Drone

Ukrainian troops pulled two wounded fighters from a hostile no-man's-land using an artificial intelligence-guided cargo drone. The operation occurred within a single week, marking a shift in how the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, known as CODE 9.2, manages casualty evacuation on the front line. The unit successfully rescued 25-year-old Yevhen, callsign Izium, and 24-year-old Artem, callsign Kolobok, both of whom suffered severe limb injuries.

The soldiers were positioned in the grey zone, roughly five kilometers from the Russian border. Unit commanders stated that ground extraction was impossible due to rough terrain, water crossings, and constant threats from enemy FPV drones. Aerial transport was the only viable method to move the casualties to safety.

Preparation for these missions took seven days. The regiment worked directly with SkyFall, the manufacturer of the StarGate drone, to coordinate logistics. The operations required synchronized fire support and cooperation with other branches of the Ukrainian defense forces. Heavy Vampire attack drones were deployed to suppress Russian positions and clear a flight path for the evacuation vehicle.

During one mission, the StarGate drone flew nearly 30 kilometers to reach the soldier's position and flew a similar distance back with the casualty on board. Russian forces actively deployed electronic warfare systems in the area, attempting to block satellite navigation signals. The StarGate relied on an AI-based navigation system to maintain its course despite the loss of GPS data.

Oleksandr Nastenko, commander of the 475th Regiment and known as Flint, said the experience will help the unit form a dedicated medical aviation wing. He explained that this new group will focus exclusively on airlifting wounded soldiers from the battlefield. The StarGate drone has a range of up to 30 kilometers and can carry a payload of 150 kilograms. For medical missions, it carries a capsule equipped with a stretcher.

The aircraft reaches speeds of 105 kilometers per hour and is operated remotely. Its AI systems allow it to function effectively under electronic warfare interference. On October 19, Ukrainian forces also used a drone from Gurzuf Defence to evacuate a wounded soldier for the first time, indicating a growing reliance on aerial assets for medical retrieval.

The StarGate was handed over to the military for frontline testing after SkyFall developed it specifically for casualty evacuation. The unit confirmed the drone's ability to operate in contested airspace where traditional navigation fails.