Servicemen of the 63rd Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Third Army Corps carried out a two-day operation to evacuate eight civilians from Lyman who had come under enemy shelling. During an attack by a Russian FPV drone, one of the fighters shielded the civilians with his body and sustained a serious injury.
This was reported by the Third Army Corps.
The operation began after soldiers of the 7th Company of the 3rd Mechanised Battalion had completed their main combat mission. After learning about the trapped civilians, the troops organised a rescue mission that lasted two days amid Russian ambushes and continuous drone attacks.
On the ground, a combined strike-and-search group involving Ukrainian defenders was operating, along with French and American legionnaires with the call signs Flash, Cowboy, Spade, Chandra and Fanta. Aerial reconnaissance coordinated their actions from the air, mapped out safe routes and warned of enemy ambushes.
Logistics and the difficult crossing in MaxxPro armoured vehicles were provided by a mortar battery and a unit of ground robotic systems.
At the final stage of the evacuation, the group was spotted and attacked by a Russian FPV drone. One serviceman took the hit himself, shielding the civilians with his body. He sustained a serious injury but saved the people. Thanks to the swift actions of the reconnaissance platoon, the soldier was evacuated in time and given medical assistance.
Among the eight evacuees were an elderly woman, three people with disabilities who used wheelchairs, as well as a man with a severe leg injury. All were taken to a safe place.
The Third Army Corps urged residents of frontline settlements not to delay evacuation.
"Evacuation is always a chance to save your life. At the cost of superhuman effort, health, and sometimes the lives of our soldiers, we pull people out of hell itself. The Third Army Corps once again strongly urges citizens: leave frontline settlements in advance! Do not wait until rescue becomes impossible".