‘Skiff’ Battalion Combat Medic Shares Survival Story After Drone Attack

SOLEDAR (DPR) – A female medic from the assault corps of the Skiff Battalion (BARS-35), known by her call sign “Matryona,” told Sputnik how she survived a Ukrainian kamikaze drone attack on a medical vehicle and, despite being wounded, managed to help other fighters.

The intensive use of kamikaze and FPV drones, as well as loitering munitions on the contact line in the zone of the special military operation conducted by Russia is simply unprecedented. The density of UAV use by both sides creates new realities for combat operations.

"I was evacuating the wounded from the front lines in this vehicle when a kamikaze drone struck us as we approached the hospital. I got shrapnel in my eye and suffered a concussion," the medic said.

She revealed that the Ukrainian kamikaze drone flew into the window of the medical vehicle, killing one soldier and seriously wounding another three. Despite her own injury, Matryona managed to help other soldiers.

"To be honest, it was terrifying at that moment. A veil in front of my eyes, I couldn't see or hear anything, a ringing in my head, everyone was screaming. It was scary at first. It was hard to get myself together at first... But then we kept moving, taking the fighters to the hospital for further evacuation," the medic said.

The city of Soledar in the Donetsk People's Republic came under the control of Russian forces in January this year and is of strategic importance to Kiev. Soledar was located at the center of the defensive line between Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and Seversk. The liberation of the city enabled the disruption of the direct supply route between Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and Seversk, as well as the encirclement of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) from the north. Ukrainian forces are continuing their attempt to regain control of the city.