The MI-2 MSB-1 helicopter for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has been modernized and equipped with necessary medical equipment. The funds for the project were directed by the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
As part of the Donate to Evacuate initiative from the charitable foundations KSE Foundation and DefDev, the Olena Zelenska Foundation allocated $500,000 in accumulated international funds to equip the medevac with modern medical equipment.
As a result, medical professionals will be able to provide emergency assistance in the air. Onboard equipment includes artificial lung ventilation and heart monitoring devices, a defibrillator, a module for oxygen inhalation, an oxygen reducer, and an electric aspirator for clearing the airways.
"In saving lives, time is crucial. A helicopter is capable of quickly reaching the scene and evacuating the injured, so the decision to modernize the helicopter was made by us without hesitation. 'Medicine' is one of the key areas of the Foundation's work. And here we do a lot: we modernize hospitals, donate ambulances, and now, thanks to modern medical equipment with which we equipped the helicopter, people will receive rapid medical assistance in the air. They will have a chance to survive after enemy shelling," says the Foundation's director Nina Horbachova.
"We are very grateful to the Olena Zelenska Foundation, which helped acquire this beauty. This helicopter is made entirely by a Ukrainian manufacturer—from the main rotor blades to the engines. The medical equipment on board the helicopter is made by the leading global manufacturer, the Swiss company Weinmann, and the navigation equipment is from Garmin. The helicopter can carry a payload of up to 700 kilograms and is capable of landing in very challenging conditions where other equipment cannot reach," explains the pilot of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine's aviation, "Maestro."
The medevac helicopter is capable of conducting medical evacuation from areas within the reach of Russian artillery. The estimated response time is 15 minutes after the request.
"Helicopters can reach even the most remote and inaccessible locations, making them indispensable for rescue operations. Unfortunately, in hard-to-reach places, in areas with constant shelling, people often die not from wounds incompatible with life but due to the lack of timely qualified medical assistance. Aeroevacuation gives these people a chance. Therefore, I want to thank all the donors who helped purchase the helicopter, especially the KSE students who initiated the Donate to Evacuate project," notes a paramedic from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, "Doc."
Depending on the condition of the casualties, the medevac helicopter can transport: three lightly wounded; one seriously wounded and two lightly wounded, or one patient in extremely critical condition.
"An early start to medical care is a factor in its effectiveness. The MI-2 MSB-1 helicopter can cover a distance of up to 600 km at a speed of up to 200 km/h. We must not only save lives but also do everything to ensure that the injured person can recover to the maximum extent – preserve limbs, prevent complications," says Svitlana Denysenko, director of the KSE Foundation.
"We are very grateful to the Olena Zelenska Foundation, which helped acquire this beauty. This helicopter is made entirely by a Ukrainian manufacturer—from the main rotor blades to the engines. The medical equipment on board the helicopter is made by the leading global manufacturer, the Swiss company Weinmann, and the navigation equipment is from Garmin. The helicopter can carry a payload of up to 700 kilograms and is capable of landing in very challenging conditions where other equipment cannot reach," explains the pilot of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine's aviation, "Maestro."
Such strategically important medical transport, like a helicopter, needs to be as inconspicuous as possible, so camouflage has been applied to it for masking. The unique pattern is created from the contours of Ukraine and its regions, symbolizing the unity of Ukrainians in the pursuit of preserving life and freedom.
