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April 15, 2025 – The ubiquitous presence of Russian FPV drones has fundamentally altered casualty evacuation on Ukraine’s Donetsk front, forcing medical teams to abandon vehicles and cover the final stretch to wounded soldiers on foot. Maksym Shtrul, commander of the 3rd Medical Company of the 1st Separate Medical Battalion of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, described the new reality in a recent radio interview, highlighting a shift that has made even armored evacuation vehicles vulnerable targets.
Shtrul explained that the 1st Separate Medical Battalion operates across towns and settlements close to the front in the Donetsk sector. The area remains under constant shelling and relentless FPV drone attacks, severely restricting any movement. “Moving around calmly and feeling at ease here is fairly difficult. The enemy is constantly complicating things and making the situation worse,” he said.
The change from 2022–2023 is stark. Back then, both armored and unarmored vehicles could drive within a few hundred meters of the line of contact, sometimes entering the gray zone to collect casualties directly from positions. Today, that is “completely absurd,” Shtrul noted. No vehicle can safely reach the troops. Movement to the forward edge is now primarily on foot.
The evolution of the threat is equally clear. While artillery and Mavic drone drops were the main dangers previously, FPV drones now dominate the battlefield. Medical evacuation vehicles have had to be heavily modified, incorporating thick armor and full anti-drone netting. But even these protected vehicles cannot approach within several hundred meters of the contact line with confidence.
Shtrul emphasized that sending an armored vehicle directly to collect a casualty is now the exception, not the rule. Commanders authorize such missions only in extreme situations when a wounded soldier must be recovered at any cost. Even then, the vehicle remains a highly vulnerable target – larger and more visible than an unmanned ground vehicle, making it more attractive to enemy drone operators.
This shift reflects a broader change in battlefield tactics. FPV drones have not only rewritten combat engagements but also the very principles of medical evacuation from the forward edge. Medics now walk much of the route to the troops, and the decision to send an evacuation vehicle directly to the position has become an exceptional and extremely risky choice.
Recent data from Ukrainian military sources indicates that FPV drones account for over 60% of casualties on the Donetsk front, a figure that has steadily risen since early 2024. This has forced the army to adapt quickly. The 3rd Medical Company now trains medics in drone evasion techniques and the use of portable concealment nets while moving on foot.
Earlier this week, ArmyInform reported that two unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) from the 92nd Brigade successfully evacuated five wounded soldiers in a single run. This highlights a growing reliance on remote-controlled platforms for extraction, though their availability remains limited. Shtrul noted that UGVs are promising but still too few to replace the need for medics on foot.
The psychological toll is also rising. Medics now face the same drone threat as frontline infantry, with no guarantee of vehicle protection. “We have to be as aware of the sky as the soldiers we are trying to save,” said one medic from the 1st Separate Medical Battalion, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Ukrainian military is exploring ways to counter the drone threat, including electronic warfare jammers mounted on evacuation vehicles and more frequent use of smoke screens. However, these measures are not yet widespread. Until then, the standard protocol remains: walk, hide, and hope the drones don’t see you.
The situation in Donetsk is a stark reminder of how rapidly technology can reshape the human cost of war. For the medics, the new reality means longer carry times, greater risk, and a constant battle against the buzzing threat overhead.
