A Ukrainian soldier severely wounded in a Russian-occupied town spent more than a month waiting for rescue, according to Ukraine's First Separate Medical Battalion. After six failed attempts and the loss of six ground drones, the seventh mission — carried out using a damaged land-based robotic system — finally brought him home alive. The battalion shared footage showing highlights of the operation, but did not specify the front sector or even the oblast where the mission took place.

33 days behind enemy lines: Seventh rescue attempt ends in success

According to the battalion, the soldier sustained a serious injury 33 days before the operation, with only a tourniquet keeping him alive. During that time, six rescue attempts failed. All used NRK—"ground robotic systems"—and all were either destroyed or rendered inoperable. Four of the six destroyed machines belonged to adjacent units.

Despite the repeated setbacks, the seventh attempt succeeded. The evacuation covered a total of 64 km, including 37 km driven with a damaged wheel. The NRK reportedly sustained a hit from an anti-personnel mine on the way to the wounded soldier but kept moving.

On the return route, a Russian drone dropped explosives on the machine. Thanks to the armored capsule it was carrying, the soldier inside was unharmed.

The entire operation lasted 5 hours and 58 minutes, with the ground drone averaging a speed of 13 km/h and reaching a top speed of 29 km/h.

The battalion confirmed the soldier was successfully evacuated and received necessary medical care. He is currently undergoing further treatment and is not in danger.

"If he didn’t surrender — we had no right to"

In a closing message, First Separate Medical Battalion noted,

“If the soldier didn’t surrender — we had no right to.”

Ukrainian military intelligence struck several Russian radar installations in occupied Crimea overnight on 2 November, targeting components of Russian air defense. The operation hit a radar from the S-400 system, its power generator, and two additional radar systems located at a Russian airfield, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) says.

HUR strikes S-400 radar and airfield systems

HUR shared exclusive video footage showing the destruction of the Russian air defense assets, and reported that the strike was carried out by the Department of Active Operations during the night of 1 to 2 November.

The targeted site was a control point of a Russian S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile battalion, which was on active combat duty. According to HUR, the attack destroyed a Russian 92N6E multifunctional radar and the autonomous power supply equipment—a generator vehicle—of the S-400 command post. These components were identified as being in service at the combat position of the S-400 system in occupied Crimea.

Surveillance and airfield radars also destroyed

HUR added that the operation also successfully struck two additional radar systems used by the Russian occupation army. These were the AORL-1AC airfield surveillance radar and the P-18 Terek circular surveillance radar.

Ongoing campaign against Russian air defenses

Over the past month, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence and armed forces have destroyed a series of high-value Russian radar and missile systems across occupied regions and inside Russia.

• Days ago, the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces reported the destruction of the Russian Buk‑M3 launcher and Nebo‑U radar in Rostov Oblast, Russia.
• In late October, HUR's unit Prymary destroyed two Russian Podlet radars, a SAM S-300V's launcher in Donetsk Oblast
• Earlier in October, the Ghosts hit three radar stations in occupied Crimea — a 96L6 from the S-400 Triumf system, a P-18 Terek, and a 55Zh6U Nebo-U.
• HUR drones destroyed two more radars — a Nebo-SVU and a Buk-M3 launcher — in southern Ukraine.
• In a separate strike, the Ukrainian Armed Forces targeted another Buk-M3 launcher at an undisclosed location in occupied territory.
• HUR also struck a Valdai radar site in Crimea
• The army also hit a Garmon radar with an Iskander transporter-loader vehicle in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

Ukraine’s military intelligence drones struck key Russian radars and a landing craft in occupied Crimea on 26 October. The drones evaded both missile strikes and small arms fire, continuing a targeted campaign to degrade Moscow’s air defense network.

Ukrainian Ghosts hit radars and landing craft in occupied Crimea

According to the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, drones from its Prymary (Ghosts) special unit of  carried out new attacks in Russian-occupied Crimea, targeting and damaging multiple pieces of high-value military equipment, including three radar systems, and a Russian Navy boat.

According to the 26 October update from HUR, the strike destroyed the following Russian assets:

• a 96L6 radar from the S-400 Triumf air defense system,
• a P-18 Terek radar,
• a 55Zh6U Nebo-U radar,
• and a BK-16 landing craft.

Video released by HUR shows one drone dodging a missile fired from a Pantsir S1 system moments before striking a radar installation. Another scene captures a Russian landing craft attempting to fend off a drone with small arms fire before being hit.