The Ukrainian military has released footage of what it describes as the world's first drone airlift of a wounded soldier from the front line.

The operation was carried out by the 92nd Assault Brigade, which said a conventional ground rescue mission was not possible. The wounded serviceman was surrounded by landmines, and Russian drone activity in the area was reported to be high.

According to the brigade, a "heavy" hexacopter piloted by a remote operator was used to carry out the evacuation. The crew described the operation as "very difficult" but said the drone was able to maintain stability throughout.

The footage was reviewed and verified. Investigators confirmed the identities of the army personnel shown in the video and found no signs of artificial intelligence generation or manipulation.

The mission has been described by the brigade as a world first, highlighting the growing role of unmanned technology in battlefield evacuations as drones continue to shape the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.