07 August 2026 – Sunflower Scotland’s chairman working with a paramedic team evacuating the wounded from the east Zaporizhzhia area. We stayed for a full rotation helping the team. We took the deep dive in the drone war zone in order to learn what equipment is missing, and what help is needed. Drones coming in waves in the morning and in the evening make medics’ work extremely dangerous.
Oleg Dmitriev, our chairman, joined a medical team whose job is to provide first aid and evacuate the wounded. Their work was in the area east of the Zaporizhzhia city, north of Komyshuvakha.
Ambulance in the fields of east Zaporizhzhia
The main roads in the area are controlled by Russian FPV drones. They track down vehicles and attack them. Moving around in the area should be done with extreme care. When driving, we often saw black silhouettes of burnt cars. For obvious reasons we didn’t stop to take photos.
Some roads are covered with anti-drone nets. But they cover stretch over only a few kilometres. Villages and most roads are not protected.
The team consists of a paramedic, and an ambulance technician. Oleg’s role was to watch out for drones: use the drone detector, look and listen for any incoming drones, warn others. In the most critical situation try to shoot it down with a netgun or a shotgun.
Every time we would receive 2-4 wounded persons, and sometimes dead. First, the paramedics would provide first aid and treat the wounds. Repackage the old dried bandages, give an IV injection.
After that, we would board everyone at the back and drive to the hospital. The paramedic was looking after them and intervening when necessary – on a bumpy dirt road through the fields. Exactly like in the films about WWII. The only thing is, we were experiencing it in 2026.
“Listen to the sky”
Ukrainian medics have to use drone detectors and observe the sky all the time. Not all drones can be detected because the Russians always change frequencies. Drones with fibre-optic cables cannot be detected by radio, you need to listen.
“Listen to the sky”, the guys told Oleg when they went on the first mission.
Medics can use anti-drone jammers (REB) to protect the ambulance. But when you switch on a jammer, all drones in the area will attack you: it’s a big red flag. And, jammers don’t protect against all drones: the ones with fibre optic cables are immune to jamming.
Learnings
Evacuation in 2-15 days. No “golden hour” evacuations. Tourniquet syndrome.
In field medicine, that aid should be provided immediately. Within the first hour, the person should be brough to a hospital. The Ukraie war has shown that it’s a pipe dream.
The wounded have to wait for days or weeks, until it is safe for them to be evacuated. Until that time, Ukrainian doctors send them bandages and painkillers, so they can drag on for as long as possible.
Over that time, wounds swell. Inflammation and sepsis is a real problem. Antibiotics help to an extent, but not always.
If a person had a tourniquet applied, it is often released and re-tightened – agonising pain. It’s done in order to prolong the onset of necrosis. Amputaiton is the most likely outcome.
If the wounded person still has legs, they are sent strong painkillers and crutches, so they can lipm back to the evacuaiton point. That’s why we always donate crutches to the medics (we don’t get involved with strong painkillers).
Land robots (NRK) at first were though of as a magic solution for evacuation. Until the drone people figured it out, and now any land robot carrying a wounded person is instantly attacked by drones. As a result, we heard that the wounded refuse to board the land robots. They prefer to crawl back on their own.
Ambulances are top-priority targets
We have seen a number of ambulances destroyed or damaged by Russian drones. The medical red cross and the ambulance bright marking is not a protection. It’s a signal for the drones to attack.
The medic’s work is extremely hard and dangerous. While providing first aid, you are being targeted with explosives.
Second-hand Ambulances: not fit for purpose, but that’s the best they have
Medics are saving lives, and risking their own. It’s a shame that the best Europe and the UK could give to Ukraine is old, second-hand ambulances. Overall, they are not fit for purpose. Having said that, the old ambulances have some really necessary features:
- Designed for medics: with stretcher bed, lots of compartments for drugs and syringes.
- The rear cabin offers lots of space, a bed and foldind seats. It is very important to carry 3-4 wounded persons while providing first aid.
Now, why second-hand ambulances are not fit for purpose:
- Heavy, low-sitting vehicles. Buit for smooth European city roads. Easily get stuck on Ukraine’s dirt roads.
- No light and power at the back. Paramedics provide first aid with head torches. Why? In the ambulance service, you charge the rear battery from a special quick-release power supply. Not something that’s available in the fileds of Ukraine.
- No anti-drone protection. No armouring against drones. When working, paramedics are completely exposed.
Paramedics buy drone detectors, they fundraise and buy anti-drone jammers. They try to upgrade the ambulances and make them reay for the frontline use.
There are Ukrainian military ambulances “Bohdan”: converted from Chinese “Great Wall” pickup. The working area at the back is very tight. You can barely fit two small persons.
Shortage of ambulance and first aid supplies
We have seen that there’s a shortage of ambulance supplies. The most typical type of wounds is surface
- Cotton bandages
- Israeli bandage 4″
- Haemostatic bandages (for tamponade)
- 12g, 20g, 22g IV Catheters (Cannulae)
- 2, 5, 10, 20 ml syringes
- Burn dressings (large, 20×20, 20×45 cm or similar)
- Splints
- Paracetamol
- Cold and Flu sachets (e.g. Lemsip) and tablets (Sudafed, Strepsils)
If you can, please donate or help us buy them.
In addition, there are drugs which are needed. We will be buying them in Ukraine, in order to avoid cross-border checks:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Meloxicam (much stronger than ibuprofen), Movalis (brand name of meloxicam)
- Wide spectrum antibiotics
We do not disclose everything. We keep the sensitive information, or the details which may make medic’s work more difficult.
Sunflower Scotland is making our own, 4×4 ambulances, and donates them to Ukrainian medics. Please support us.
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