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Armored Drone Rescues Wounded Ukrainian Soldier After 33 Days in No-Man's Land
17 Nov
Summary
- Wounded Ukrainian soldier trapped for 33 days behind enemy lines
- Dramatic 6-hour rescue mission by unmanned armored vehicle
- Soldier's location known, but previous 6 rescue attempts failed
- Armored drone withstood mines, drones, and bombs to reach and evacuate the soldier
On November 17, 2025, a dramatic rescue operation unfolded as a wounded Ukrainian soldier, trapped for 33 days in no-man's land, was finally brought to safety by an armored drone vehicle. The soldier had been cut off from his comrades after a landmine shattered his foot, with only a tourniquet keeping him alive.
Despite six previous failed attempts to reach the soldier, his comrades refused to give up. On their seventh try, they sent an unmanned ground vehicle over 40 miles into Russian-controlled territory to bring him home. The tense five-hour-and-58-minute mission was a success, even as Russian bombs detonated around the robotic capsule containing the soldier.
The armored drone, called the MAUL, was developed by Ukraine's First Separate Medical Battalion specifically for such dangerous rescue operations. Equipped with an internal combustion engine, the MAUL could reach speeds of up to 43 mph and withstand mines, drones, and enemy fire. When the vehicle reached the soldier, he climbed inside the "coffin on wheels" and sealed himself safely inside.
Moments later, a Russian drone dropped an explosive, but the armored capsule held firm, protecting its passenger. The MAUL then safely transported the soldier back to Ukrainian-controlled territory, where medics provided first aid and stabilized him. He has since undergone an amputation and is now in rehabilitation in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky applauded the success of the mission, stating that the wounded warrior's life has been saved. The MAUL robot and other unmanned evacuation vehicles are becoming increasingly important in the Ukraine war, allowing injured soldiers to be rescued without putting medics at risk.
