Razom for Ukraine brought 10 frontline medics from the 3rd Army Corps and Khartia to SOMA 2026, one of the world’s largest conferences in tactical and operational medicine. Among the delegation was Mykola Khudolii, Master Sergeant and Head of the Tactical Medicine Group of the 3rd Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The research of the 3rd Corps Tactical Medicine Group, led by Mykola Khudolii, received the Best Medic Research Presentation award at SOMA 2026. The study examines extremity injuries in modern drone warfare, tourniquet effectiveness, and the challenges of casualty evacuation in prolonged field conditions.
“We showed that training every service member to the Combat Lifesaver (CLS) level significantly improves survival and limb preservation. After implementing this training, successful tourniquet conversion rates increased to nearly 99%,” said Mykola Khudolii.
The research also highlights that in modern warfare, casualty evacuation can take anywhere from several hours to several weeks, while around 90% of evacuations within the unit are conducted using ground robotic systems.
“What surprises our American colleagues most is the duration of evacuation. In their system, it is usually within an hour, while in our reality, it can take days or even weeks,” he added.
Ukrainian medics emphasize that the key priority is stabilizing the wounded before evacuation, adapted to the realities of drone warfare.
Last year, Razom organized the TQ Forum with the 3rd Corps, bringing together medical professionals of different levels to analyze the scope of care across the system, identify gaps, and develop ways to improve care with the goal of reducing the amputation rate within the corps. The forum resulted in a new training standard for personnel, which became the foundation for the positive changes presented during the 3rd Corps presentation at SOMA, explained Yuliia Shama
“We are proud to see Ukrainian work recognized at a conference of this scale. Through Razom, we are able to bring Ukraine’s unique frontline medical experience to SOMA, and engage in a true two-way exchange with some of the strongest training systems in the world,” said Dan Solchanyk, Razom Health Program Director
