---
title: "Ukraine Launches Aeromedical Evacuation: From Kharkiv to Rzeszów — 2 Hours Instead of 16"
description: "The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the procedure for aeromedical evacuation by SES aircraft. The mechanism will be launched by the end of 2026: the trip from Kharkiv to Rzeszów will be reduced from 16 hours to 2–3."
date: 2026-11-06T10:05:55.132Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-aeromedical-evacuation-ses-2026
tags: [aeromedical-evacuation, ukraine, srs, medevac-ukraine, healthcare-policy, emergency-medicine]
author: "Inna Kinsheva, Darya Fomina"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Ukraine Launches Aeromedical Evacuation: From Kharkiv to Rzeszów — 2 Hours Instead of 16

![Paramedics transport an injured patient on a stretcher across an airport tarmac against the backdrop of transport aircraft.](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/06/ukraina-aeromeditsinskaya-evakuatsiya-gschs-2026/ukraina-aeromeditsinskaya-evakuatsiya-gschs-2026-1.webp)

## Key Points

- The Cabinet of Ministers approved the procedure for aeromedical patient evacuation by SES aircraft; launch by the end of 2026
- Patient delivery time from Kharkiv to Polish Rzeszów will be reduced from 15–16 hours by land to 2–3 hours by air
- Coordination will be provided by the Ministry of Health Emergency Medical Center, and aviation by the SES
- The procedure includes the transportation of donor organs, medical teams, and patient delivery abroad under the Medevac Ukraine program

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has officially approved the procedure for organizing aeromedical patient evacuation using aircraft of the State Emergency Service (SES). This was announced by Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, emphasizing that the mechanism is planned to be launched by the end of 2026. The new decision aims to reduce the transportation time of patients between medical facilities and ensure the delivery of patients abroad to receive specialized medical care.

### How the Mechanism Will Work

The coordination of the entire aeromedical evacuation system will be handled by the Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine of the Ministry of Health. This very center will determine routes, priorities, and the sequence of transportations. The SES, in turn, will provide aircraft and crews, taking into account flight safety conditions and weather conditions. Thus, medical logistics and aviation infrastructure will work in tandem under unified management.

### The Main Advantage Is Time Saving

The prime minister called the critical importance of every hour for patients in severe condition the key argument in favor of air evacuation. As a clear example, Koretsky cited the route from Kharkiv to the evacuation medical hub in Rzeszów, Poland: by land transport, the journey takes 15–16 hours, whereas by aircraft, the same path can be covered in 2–3 hours. "For patients in severe condition, every hour matters. Our task is to ensure they have the opportunity to receive the necessary medical care as soon as possible," the head of government stated.

### Not Only Patients: Organs, Teams, and Equipment

The approved procedure provides not only for the transportation of patients between hospitals within the country but also for the delivery of Ukrainians for treatment abroad under the Medevac Ukraine program. A separate paragraph of the regulations highlights the transportation of donor organs for transplantation, medical teams, and necessary equipment. This means that the SES air corridor will become a multifunctional tool: from the urgent delivery of a patient to a specialized clinic to the logistics of organs and mobile teams of specialists.

### Context: Evacuation of the Wounded Using Drones

The launch of the official aeromedical service comes against the backdrop of Ukrainian military personnel already repeatedly using unmanned solutions for the evacuation of the wounded. In particular, an operation to deliver a wounded soldier using a StarGate drone was carried out for the third time. During the latest mission, a 54-year-old serviceman who remained at a position for almost two months after being wounded by a mine was saved. These precedents demonstrate that the need for the rapid extraction of casualties from hard-to-reach zones is systemic, and the procedure approved by the government institutionalizes it.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Вместо 16 часов - всего 2: в Украине возвращают аэромедицинскую эвакуацию](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zamist-16-godin-usogo-2-ukrayini-povertayut-1793958818.html) - Primary source: Prime Minister Koretsky's statement on the approval of the SES aeromedical evacuation procedure. All figures (15–16 hours by land, 2–3 hours by air), structure names, and the Medevac Ukraine program are provided in the source text.

## FAQ

### When will aeromedical evacuation by SES aircraft be launched?

According to Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, the mechanism is planned to be launched by the end of 2026.

### How long will it take to deliver a patient from Kharkiv to Rzeszów under the new procedure?

By aircraft — 2–3 hours, whereas land transport takes 15–16 hours for the same route.

### Who will coordinate the evacuation?

Coordination is carried out by the Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine of the Ministry of Health, and aircraft and crews are provided by the SES.

### What else will be transported by SES aircraft besides patients?

The procedure provides for the transportation of donor organs for transplantation, medical teams, and necessary equipment, as well as the delivery of patients abroad under the Medevac Ukraine program.