Ukrainian intelligence reveals epic story of saving comrades (video)

Describing the incident, the agency referred to it as a thriller from the Zaporizhzhia direction.

Raid to enemy positions, battle, and captivity

Three soldiers from the Artan X unit (part of the special forces of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Artan) set out on a mission during which they were tasked with conducting a reconnaissance and sabotage raid on Russian forces' positions, specifically targeting the 247th Airborne Assault Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces.

Already at the enemy positions, Ukrainian soldiers with call signs Kets, Anubis, and Klyuchik encountered a group of three Russian paratroopers and engaged in close combat.

During the fight, the enemy used an unknown chemical substance, which led to the Ukrainian fighters losing combat effectiveness due to gas poisoning and being captured by the Russian army.

The skirmish took place in open terrain. The enemy began retreating toward a settlement under their control. Meanwhile, the movement of the enemy group was monitored by aerial reconnaissance units of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine active operations divisions.

Rescue operation

As the commander of the Artan X unit, with the call sign Favorit, explained, when the Russian paratroopers with the prisoners reached the first shelter, the enemy was targeted by FPV drones operated by masters from Artan and adjacent units to rescue the captured soldiers.

One of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine soldiers, Kets, after the flawless elimination of the first enemy combatant, took advantage of the chaos and panic within the enemy group. He waited for the right moment, slipped away, found shelter in one of the destroyed buildings, and began waiting to see how everything would unfold.

"It was a burning pain in my chest from the gas the Russians poisoned us with. When our FPVs swooped in, it was an incredible feeling. I'm really grateful to my comrades who didn't leave us behind and actually pulled us out of captivity," Kets conveyed.

Meanwhile, the operators of the strike UAVs destroyed two other Russian invaders (the last Russian paratrooper attempted to escape under an old truck, but the Ukrainian FPV aces got him there too).

After that, a reconnaissance drone with instructions from the commander for extraction from the occupied Russian territory flew to the two Artan X fighters. The third Defence Intelligence of Ukraine assault soldier managed to reach their positions alone after a few hours.

Favorit emphasized that this operation successfully saved their comrades directly from the enemy's clutches on the battlefield.

Climax of the epic story

"Everyone is in high spirits now. Stories like this lift morale. What the drone operators from Artan and neighboring units of Ukraine's Security and Defense Forces accomplished is the highest level of skill - pure precision work. We fight for our own to the very end," he emphasized.

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) also reported that the freed soldiers returned with captured enemy weapons and valuable intelligence. The troops are currently undergoing treatment for burns caused by the Russian chemical agents.

Operation video

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine also released footage of the operation in the Zaporizhzhia direction, which has been made publicly available online.

In February, the commander of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine's special unit Shaman told RBC-Ukraine about operations carried out behind enemy lines, including on Russian territory - and even beyond the borders of our continent.

Notably, Reuters recently reported that the European Union, within the framework of its 17th sanctions package, may impose penalties on Russia for the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.