Rescued two wounded people under drone fire: Vladyslav Polskyi became a Hero of Ukraine

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the title Hero of Ukraine to Junior Lieutenant Vladyslav Polskyi — commander of the assault company of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment “Code 9.2”. The corresponding decree No. 738/2026 was signed by the head of state on August 19, 2026. The serviceman is to be presented with the “Golden Star” order.

The document states that the title was awarded for personal courage and heroism demonstrated while defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as selfless service to the Ukrainian people. The decree does not specify which combat episode served as the basis for the award. However, shortly before it was signed, footage circulated in Ukraine showing Polskyi personally evacuating two severely wounded servicemen from under strikes by Russian drones.

Ukrainian assault troops were conducting a combat mission in one of the populated areas. They pushed forward and cleared several Russian positions, but during their return the enemy attacked them with drones of the “Molniya” type. Two servicemen suffered severe injuries and could no longer move on their own. They were moved to a relatively safer location, after which command began an evacuation using a ground robotic system.

However a Russian FPV drone struck the platform and disabled it. As a result of the strike, the servicemen received additional wounds to their arms and legs and were left in the open. The situation was being observed by a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone. Waiting for another robot would have meant losing precious time. As Vladyslav Polskyi said, daylight was coming, and Russian drones could inflict a repeat strike.

“I insisted: either now, or never,” the serviceman recalled.

After agreeing with the battalion commander, Polskyi got behind the wheel of a pickup truck and, at high speed, headed to the wounded. He did not put on body armor, because he believed the gear would slow him down while loading the fighters. The commander reached the damaged robot, carried one serviceman to the vehicle himself and helped the other get in. After that he quickly left the danger zone. At that time Russian drones were already approaching the vehicle.

According to Polskyi, a delay of even 10–15 minutes could have had fatal consequences. From the moment the robotic platform was hit to the completion of the evacuation took about 30–40 minutes. The wounded were taken to a stabilization point, and later — to hospitals. At the time of speaking with journalists, they were in serious but stable condition.

“It doesn’t matter whose they are: there are no strangers,” the commander said, explaining that the rescued servicemen served in other companies.

Polskyi also told the details of the operation on the air of “Army FM”.

Vladyslav Polskyi is 29 years old, his call sign is “Teacher”. Before the full-scale war he worked as a schoolteacher in Zaporizhzhia. In 2022 he voluntarily mobilized into the military. He served in the infantry, was a medic and a platoon commander, and later headed the assault company of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment “Code 9.2”. According to the serviceman, earlier he and an evacuation team helped save about 20 wounded — all were evacuated alive.