{
  "id": 18533303,
  "title": "Ukraine to resume medical air evacuation flights by year-end, PM says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/ukraine-to-resume-medical-air-evacuation-flights-by-year-end-pm-says",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T16:27:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-to-resume-medical-air-evacuation-flights-by-year-end-pm-says/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ukraine plans to restart medical air evacuation flights by the end of the year, according to Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, who addressed the issue on November 6. The move aims to significantly shorten travel times for patients in need of urgent medical care. Prior to Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's airspace and airport access were restricted due to security concerns, leading to most patient transport being handled via trains and roads. The new system, set to be fully operational by the end of 2026, will see State Emergency Service-operated aircraft replacing long ground journeys. For instance, a trip from Kharkiv to Rzeszow, Poland, a 100-kilometer stretch, could be cut from 15-16 hours to just two to three hours. The Health Ministry's Center for Emergency Medical Care will oversee the flights, while the State Emergency Service will provide the necessary aircraft, helicopters, and crews. This system will also cover the Medevac Ukraine program, which offers free medical treatment abroad for Ukrainians affected by the conflict. Priority will be given to those injured during hostilities and those who have lost access to medical care due to Russia's destruction of medical infrastructure. Notably, aircraft will be able to bypass the state border and directly deliver patients to an evacuation hub, crucial for those seeking treatment in European countries under the Medevac Ukraine program. Ukrainian forces have also started using aerial evacuation on the front lines, with the first such operation conducted on October 19 to evacuate a severely injured soldier from the Kharkiv sector.",
  "summary": "The government has approved regulations governing the flights, which will be used to transport patients, medical personnel, donor organs and equipment between hospitals, as well as to take patients abroad for treatment.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}