Syrskyi outlines key priorities for Ukrainian forces' medical service in Jan 2026

That is according to the Commander-in-Chief's Facebook page, Ukrinform reports.

During a video conference meeting on the development of the medical service, Syrskyi stressed: "Modern warfare confronts us with increasingly complex challenges: the 'kill zone' can extend beyond 20 kilometers. That is why we are constantly searching for and implementing new solutions, both organizational and technical. First and foremost, this concerns the evacuation of the wounded and the provision of rapid and effective medical care. Preserving the lives and health of our servicemen and women is an absolute priority."

Syrskyi emphasized the importance of hearing not only reports from command and hospital-level units, but also firsthand experience from the front line – from medics who are the first to provide aid to the wounded and who successfully carry out forward evacuation. Their practical experience, he said, is the most valuable and must be disseminated across all Defense Forces.

Participants in the meeting discussed the use of ground robotic systems to evacuate wounded personnel from the front line.

"The conditions of the modern battlefield are such that unmanned evacuation platforms are becoming the primary, and sometimes the only possible, means of evacuating the wounded in difficult tactical situations. More and more units are introducing the use of ground robotic systems that effectively perform CASEVAC functions, transporting the wounded from the line of contact to a handover point for medical evacuation crews. This approach is being applied primarily in the Pokrovsk sector, where the situation is particularly difficult," the general said.

Syrskyi also heard a report from the 81st Brigade on the establishment of underground stabilization points.

"This is another effective solution dictated by the realities of war. Pre-prepared, concealed, and well-equipped underground points allow medics to work in a focused and safe environment and increase the chances of saving the wounded. This experience needs to be scaled up," Syrskyi said.

The meeting also addressed improvements to individual first aid kits in line with the current challenges of the battlefield.

"The speed of their use directly affects survival, which is why I fully support the developments of specialists from the Center of Excellence of the 3rd Army Corps Medical Service," Syrskyi said.

Following the meeting, Syrskyi defined the key areas of work for the medical service in January 2026.

"We will continue to develop modern approaches to the evacuation of the wounded using unmanned systems, improve coordination between units, and deploy a network of hardened underground stabilization points along the entire front line," Syrskyi added.