A Ukrainian soldier severed his own foot to survive. Then came a dramatic rescue.
A Ukrainian soldier, Kostiantyn Vlasenko, severed his own foot to survive 491 days trapped behind enemy lines in Kharkiv oblast. He was rescued by a heavy-lift drone in a daring operation. Vlasenko, an infantryman in Ukraine's 30th Mechanized Brigade, spent nearly eight months hiding in a bombed-out school and suffered from frostbite and rotting legs.
Listen to Live Briefing
Real-time synthesized voice briefing · Live Feeds Desk
- ✓ A Ukrainian soldier, Kostiantyn Vlasenko, severed his own foot to survive.
- ✓ The soldier spent 491 days trapped behind enemy lines in Kharkiv oblast.
- ✓ He was rescued by a heavy-lift drone in a daring operation.
- ✓ Vlasenko is an infantryman in Ukraine's 30th Mechanized Brigade.
What changed
The development of a successful drone rescue operation after 491 days of being trapped has been confirmed by multiple sources.
Live updates
-
Ukrainian soldier amputates own foot, rescued by drone
A Ukrainian soldier, Kostiantyn Vlasenko, severed his own foot to survive 491 days trapped behind enemy lines in Kharkiv oblast. He was rescued by a heavy-lift drone in a daring operation. Vlasenko, an infantryman in Ukraine's 30th Mechanized Brigade, spent nearly eight months hiding in a bombed-out school and suffered from frostbite and rotting legs.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the extreme conditions faced by Ukrainian soldiers and the innovative use of drones in rescue operations. The use of drones for evacuation is a much-touted idea that has been put into practice. The rescue demonstrates the critical role of technology in military operations and the ongoing efforts to save lives in conflict zones.
What is confirmed
- A Ukrainian soldier, Kostiantyn Vlasenko, severed his own foot to survive.
- The soldier spent 491 days trapped behind enemy lines in Kharkiv oblast.
- He was rescued by a heavy-lift drone in a daring operation.
- Vlasenko is an infantryman in Ukraine's 30th Mechanized Brigade.
What to watch next
- Further details on the soldier's condition after the rescue
- Information on the deployment of similar drone rescue operations
- Updates on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine's Kharkiv oblast
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (12)
- BBC — Moment drone airlifts wounded Ukrainian soldier in unique rescue mission
- Ars Technica — Ukraine’s drone rescue of wounded soldier puts much touted idea into practice
- Reuters — A Ukrainian soldier severed his own foot to survive. Then came a dramatic rescue.
- The Defense Post — Ukrainian Ground Drones Take Over Risky Frontline Barrier Work
- Українська правда — 491 days in the grey zone and losing both feet: exclusive details of the first-ever aerial evacuation aboard a Heavy Shot drone
- www.gbnews.com — Ukraine war: Soldier forced to cut his OWN LEG off after ...
- www.arise.tv — Ukrainian Soldier Amputates Own Foot To Survive, Rescued by ...
- www.europesays.com — How did a Ukrainian soldier survive 491 days on the frontline ...
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com — Ukrainian soldier cuts off his own foot to survive, rescued ...
- www.nktv.in — Ukrainian Soldier Rescued After 491 Days at Frontline ...
- news24online.com — Severed his own foot, hid in hole for 8 months; Ukrainian ...
- www.wionews.com — Ukrainian soldier rescued by a drone chopped off own leg ...
Community Sentiment: How do you assess this situation?
Voice your perspective · Real-time aggregated sentiment from the Live Feeds community