From Kharkiv to Poland in 2–3 hours instead of 16: Ukraine resumes patient evacuations via State Emergency Service aircraft — Koretskyi
Ukraine plans to resume aeromedical evacuations of patients using State Emergency Service aircraft by the end of 2026. This will make it possible to reduce the need to transport critically ill patients between hospitals and to send Ukrainians abroad for treatment.
Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky announced this, according to Censor.NET.
The government has approved the procedures for organizing such transport. The State Emergency Service’s aircraft will be used for patients who require urgent specialized medical care, particularly as part of the international Medevac Ukraine program.
Instead of 16 hours on the road—two or three
According to the prime minister, it currently takes 15–16 hours to transport a patient from Kharkiv to the evacuation hub in Rzeszów, Poland, by land. By air, this route can be covered in 2–3 hours.
As a result, transit time will potentially be reduced by more than five times.
"For patients in critical condition, every hour counts. Our goal is to ensure they can receive the necessary medical care as quickly as possible," the head of government emphasized.
Donor organs will also be transported by air
The new procedure provides for the use of aircraft not only to evacuate patients, but also to transport donor organs needed for transplants, medical teams, and equipment.
The Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine of the Ministry of Health will coordinate the transportation.
The State Emergency Service will be responsible for providing aircraft and crews. Decisions on whether to operate flights will be made based on the security situation and weather conditions.
According to the prime minister, the plan is to launch the mechanism by the end of 2026.
