Story perspectives

Drone Evacuation Saves Vlasenko After 70 Weeks

By Drooid · Oct 23, 2026, 6:24 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade used a heavy-lift drone to evacuate Konstantyn Vlasenko on 19 October 2026.
Gurzuf Defence supplied the Ayudag-6 hexacopter, which lowered a winch to lift Vlasenko for evacuation.
Vlasenko survived 70 weeks in the kill zone, subsisting on airdropped food, cigarettes and a Stephen King novel.
The operation required six months of planning and coordination of helicopters, electronic-warfare units, artillery and Vampire drones.

History

Historical Context

After years of ISAF combat—such as the 2007 Operation Achilles and the 2011 surge that left roughly 150,000 NATO troops preparing a 2014 drawdown—U.S. forces deployed the Lockheed Martin K-MAX cargo drone in Afghanistan, marking the first combat logistics drone. The 2026 Ukrainian rescue using an Ayudag-6 hexacopter shows how that Afghan precedent has spurred wider military adoption of unmanned cargo aircraft.

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Story summary

The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade used a heavy-lift drone to evacuate Konstantyn Vlasenko on 19 October 2026.
Gurzuf Defence supplied the Ayudag-6 hexacopter, which lowered a winch to lift Vlasenko for evacuation.
Vlasenko survived 70 weeks in the kill zone, subsisting on airdropped food, cigarettes and a Stephen King novel.
The operation required six months of planning and coordination of helicopters, electronic-warfare units, artillery and Vampire drones.

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