War in Ukraine: the spectacular extraction of a soldier thanks to a drone and an electric bike (video)

Five. This is the number of days during which the soldier nicknamed “Tanker” had to hold his position alone.

According to the Ukrainian brigade Rubizh, which tells this story in a video published on YouTube on August 1, 2025, its three mission companions were killed during Russian assaults.

Wounded in the leg, face camera, “Tanker” tells the days preceding its miraculous rescue: ” They started to bomb us constantly with grenades. They started to climb, to throw gas. They dismantled our entry. »

Lonely, the Ukrainian soldier was then 1.5 kilometers from the nearest allied position:“In its state, with its injuries and lower members, it could not succeed”says the commander of the Rubizh brigade, Mykola Hrytsenko. Despite everything, radio contact is never broken: “His commanders constantly supported him, stayed in touch with him and said to him: ‘You get out of it, well, we’re going to get you out of there.‘ »

To do this, the 3018 brigade attempted an ingenious blow, sending the wounded a drone electric bike.

An unprecedented rescue operation

The maneuver is risky, but the Ukrainian soldiers want to try the blow and on July 12, 2025, a first drone flies to the sky of the Siversek region in northern Ukraine.

The machine is particularly heavy and visible, the bicycle alone weighs almost 40 kilos, it is therefore necessary to assess the time of day and the weather conditions which will maximize the chances of success of the evacuation.

Several attempts lead to a failure, the bicycle hit an obstacle during the first attempt, then it is the turn of the drone engines to grill under the load. The third attempt is the right and “tanker” manages to recover the bicycle.

The Ukrainian soldier pedal then at full speed to get out of the encirclement area before riding on a mine on the layout which leads him to the other position.

On the images of the video, you can see the soldier trying to continue his journey by lodging. It is then recovered and taken care of by soldiers present in the other position. It is only after the delivery of a second electric bike that “Tanker” is found in a safe place.

The use of drones in all its forms

Heroic music, detailed account: the video of the Rubizh brigade has everything of a perfectly mastered war communication operation. The fact remains that it illustrates the evolution of the use of drones in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The versatility of these devices has become a key factor in the conflict: more and more specific operations, in particular the missions with high tactical value, are based on their ability to become unexpected allies.

If, in this specific case, a drone has allowed an extraordinary rescue, their massive use also contributes to the increase in the intensity of the fights on the front. Their systematic deployment makes any rapid rescue intervention more difficult.