The injured soldier airlifted from Ukraine’s frontline by drone cut off his own frostbitten leg in a desperate bid to survive, having spent more than a year alone in the kill zone before his dramatic rescue, according to reports.

Kostiantyn Vlasenko, 49, made history as the first person to be evacuated from a war-zone with a flying drone , as Russian UAVs and landmines made a conventional rescue impossible.

The rescue mission this month was the product of more than six months of preparation, coordinating helicopters, electronic warfare and artillery with the drone team on the ground, according to Ukrainian outlet Oboronka .

“The flight was calm, I mostly looked around the area,” the soldier told the outlet after his heroic rescue. “And when I landed, I felt safe and relieved - I would finally see my family soon.…